The production quality, costumes, and cinematography are visually appealing, helping bring both the historical and modern settings to life. Although the plot relies on several familiar K-drama tropes and occasional predictable twists, the engaging cast and fast-paced storytelling make up for these shortcomings.
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This review may contain spoilers
Gender dysphoria, cross dressing and internalized homophobia
(SA mentioned!!)I LOVED this series, and I mean with my whole heart. Genuinely one of my comfort series. I never expected to like this so much and that has one big reason, the fucked and lacking representation a lot of Japanese or Asian drama's have on transgenders and anyone falling under the trans umbrella. And recently I have rarely rated a movie or series a 10/10 aswell. Decided to watch it mainly because I like short series, with short episode. I feel like I can really relate to this series as a female looking guy, I'm always judged. I love how it's filmed and edited in the typical 2000s-1990s Japanese style.
I love how they added internalised homophobia, however, I'm not a fan of the bullying scenes. They were heavily needed through this whole series but I can't believe Futoshi was okay and accepted the apologies so fast. I did have to laugh extremely much at the them catching the guy who is homophobic use their lipstick lmaooo.
I was kinda confused until the last few episodes, does Futoshi just like cross dressing? Is she a Trans girl? Or maybe just body dysphoria? Through the show I notice they are just experiencing with gender a lot, but it clear there's also some dysphoria. I doubt they identified as a girl but definitely liked being treated like one. (I'm calling Futoshi them.) No matter what Futoshi actually identified as, the representation was extremely well and without clearly having dysphoria scenes there it was very obvious those feeling were involved.
Another extremely well done part in the series. Often, SA is portrayed wrong and as a victim it really sucks to see characters forget about the SA the next day. Again, especially in Asian and American series the SA scene's are often easily pushed into a series to create some trauma. But in this series it was super accurate and I'm really happy about that. I'm gonna be honest I didn't think weird of that teacher at first until he made fun of them in front of the class with the spanking. I still trusted him and then was quite surprised when he actually did so. I love how they made me trust him at first, showing how wrong you can be about someone.
I heard people mention the ending is very different in the. manga and now I'm hyped to read the manga aswell. In my opinion the ending was quite lacking and it was nice but could be nicer. I was also kinda confused who Futoshi ended up with but that's my fault for watching this at 12am.
I'm a trans person aswell, I'm not open about this and I let people figure my gender themselves hoping they'll get it right. It's very exhausting but I don't exactly feel comfortable saying I'm trans in my class since I feel like they are already talking behind my back. I feel like I can relate soooo much to Futoshi.
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Not bad for a shallow watch
This show doesn’t really qualify as a short drama, but sometimes it feels like one. The pace is quite fast. I think this is both good and bad- the cases are all rather short (a couple episodes, maybe) so you get quick gratification in finding out whodunit. Add to that the way the cases all feed one into the other, and the show is particularly easy to binge.On the flip side, though, the case-solving is rather rushed- that’s how they can solve so many, so quickly. Rather than walking us through each case properly, the investigative team simply sniffs a corpse or two, uncovers a few clues, and then “deduces” a full-blown elaborate story. It’s a mystery to me how they got there. So in the end, this is a crime show that doesn’t really show crime solving. Instead I think the focus is on the stories that are uncovered.
A side effect of breezing through so many cases is that there are a lot of characters for the amount of story. Sometimes by the time the mystery is solved, I was still trying to figure out who is who. This is fine for characters who disappear, but a lot of the cases are interlocked, so many characters become relevant again and then you’re sitting there trying to remember who they are. Characters need more development to make an impression.
If you can look past all that, and all the other random plot holes, I did find the actual stories behind the cases to be pretty good. Interesting and often touching. Many cases have some element of the fantastical (similar to Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty). It would almost be a spoiler to reveal whether the supernatural is actually real in the show, so I won’t say more.
The detective team grew on me. It’s great to see a father-son relationship; father-aged characters rarely get main roles and I really enjoyed his interactions with everyone. There is also a budding romance which is not done too well, like you can see the signs here and there but they are subtle, and then when they suddenly get together it’s rather abrupt. But romance is not a huge part of this show and I was fine with it.
The FL herself is bright, cheery, and outgoing. I found her quite likeable but a bit anachronistic, which the show glosses over. At the beginning, a lot of her expressions and reactions seem exaggerated in an attempt at comedy- it’s not really my style of humor, but I still liked the lighthearted vibe. For better or worse, the comedy dies down as the show goes on.
The FL does her best to be useful, but the character who actually comes up with all the magical deductions is Jueming, the ML (or one of?). He is fairly likeable, but mostly I just wanted him to tell me what happened. Overall I liked the team but I wasn’t in love with the characters, and I don’t think it’s a particularly character-driven story.
I do like that this show isn’t afraid to let “good” people do “bad” things. Even people on the protagonists’ side can do wrong things or have prejudiced ideas. There are also some pretty good plot twists and reveals. So the various cases, along with the central mystery (Jueming figuring out what happened to his family), kept me interested.
My main complaint is probably that some things are handled in ways I simply don’t agree with. I couldn’t help feeling that many of these tragedies only happened because society and the law have failed the common people. The characters don’t seem to recognize this or have much empathy. Of course, our modern values are different (eg our opinion of how much a life is worth) and it’s better for a show to stay true to its setting. But my favorite shows still acknowledge my modern values, maybe with some sympathetic character recognizing where the blame truly lies. The closest this show comes is refuting the idea that somebody is predestined to crime via birthright, which seems pretty basic to me.
Acting-wise, I think everyone did ok. Some of the show felt overacted, but it might just be the fast pace pushing too many dramatic scenes too close together without enough “normal” scenes in between.
The production seems decent for a smaller drama. The sets and costumes are nice, there are plenty of extras, and even the props look real which I find is important for these murder shows. This show does have a style of acting out hypotheses, memories, and descriptions whether they are correct or not, and sometimes it’s hard to tell what’s past, present, or imaginary. So this led to a little confusion, but it’s not too bad.
The music is alright- the BGM is used well to set the mood and includes some nice orchestral pieces. I thought the OST is ok but I didn’t love it, though that might be because it mostly only plays during recap scenes (flashing memories, which the show seems to use to say goodbye to characters) and I am not a fan of those, as I would rather watch more story.
Overall I think this show is not bad for a shallow binge watch and can be finished in decent time, especially if you watch it sped up. The stories are decent but don’t expect much from the case solving, or to particularly fall in love with any characters or ideas.
ENDING – READ AHEAD ONLY IF YOU WANT TO KNOW, CONTAINS SPOILERS
The show’s ending seems to be a setup for another season. Jueming is shown walking off with the FL, discussing the next mystery he wants to tackle. Of course, the leads do manage to first resolve the big case of the show and bring the ultimate villain to justice- it turns out to just be another corruption case, which is not that interesting but at least easy on my emotions.
The show actually dares to (probably?) kill off one of the main characters. But we don’t see any follow-up or confirmation of this, or Jinglan and Jueming’s reactions. As a standalone ending it would be pretty unsatisfying with loose ends, but my guess is they want to do a S2.
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Based on the myth of the Samurai rather than the history.
As far as story telling goes, the plot is very basic and doesn’t make a lot of sense. There are a lot of plot wholes. That being said, it does include historical facts in interesting ways.The reason behind the presence of the character Futaba is a mystery to me. I can see the drama plays out exactly as it went without her character and nothing would change with the other characters nor the story.
The drama is star studded and most do a great job at distinguishing their characters no matter how small the role is. Except for the actors whose roles were ridiculously short. I’m still wondering the reason behind bringing such a talented actor for a role that lasted less than a minute.
The main attraction of the drama and where it succeeds is the action. Not all action scenes were great. I personally find scenes where dozens go after a few with weapons are difficult to believe. However, one-on-one fights were a feast! It’s nothing over the top and controlled. It’s quick when needed and limited when required. It was stylish and fun.
Except for Higashide Masahiro’s fight scene which appeared fake. Not bad, just not in the same height as other action scenes. The character he plays though is interesting.
Though I have my criticism, it was entertaining and I am looking forward to the next season.
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"HIDDEN LOVE is resilience, honesty, care, and timeless love."
This drama really deals with the tragedies of young first love in such a sweet, respectful manner that it's so refreshing to see. The drama hits off with absolutely lovely writing of Duan Jiaxu and Sang Zhi. Their chemistry is on par with actual real-life couples, and especially how the age gap is treated here is so sweet and brilliant. I think the drama emphasizes this by constantly reminding the audience of the differences in Zhizhi and Jiaxu's environments, and also the different pressures for example, when Jiaxu had to cancel the dates because of what he said were "trivial life matters," but in reality there were true problems with him being the man, showing that it was his fault, and Zhizhi being the woman respecting that while also asking him if it was really okay. The number of times Sang Zhi showed what falling in love means is to stand up for love when times get hard, with Jiaxu reciprocating the same, supporting her. The prejudice of others about their age gap, the very real worries of parents about their children dating, and whether Zhizhi and Jiaxu were really honest with themselves about their feelings are all explored.It shows what it is like when you support someone endlessly and do not doubt the person you love. In this case, the story of Jiaxu's family history and the Sang family knowing it and questioning it, and how Sang Zhi comes forward truly and maturely with a tender heart about liking him for a long time, is shown in a very true manner: first being just an infatuation, then when Zhi reaches a certain age realizing it may be a crush, and then the story kicks off to the "hidden love." The show doesn't undercut when it comes to choosing or having to make decisions, with Zhi enrolling in Yihe University and then having an internship, which matters not just for love but also for personal growth both Zhi's feelings and career, and Jiaxu's feelings and career. The parents show concern and take steps like confiscating phones and making time to be at home for Zhi, having Yang pick her up, actually video calling her in college days, and everything in between. The college days are shown very truly: friends, school bullying, college tests, and seminars.
Very mature characters, both Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu, show respect for their original concerns about being together, from consent questions like "Can I hold your hand?" to "Do you want to...?" to showing menstruation problems, predatory relationship issues, and putting dreams and family health relationships first. Zhi smartly takes on the pressure of the problems given by the debtor's family while supporting Jiaxu's feelings of "You've done your part; she can't bully you forever; it's not your fault." Very lovely, both Jiaxu and Zhizhi, and the hard-hitting line "Am I really getting too old? Why are my parents no longer here?" just encapsulates everything in one line. Then Zhizhi embraces him and tells him, "I've got you," showing he has a home, a family that will love him.
The drama is very well written and exceptionally adapted, with incredible acting and a lovely cast. No fake drama, no plot twists just real, mature, cared for, true first love. Zhizhi had to hide it for a long time the treasure of "HIDDEN LOVE is resilience, honesty, care, and timeless love." That's the brilliance of this show.
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This review may contain spoilers
I Had a Crush... Until the Drama Took Over
I like dramas that are sweet but still feel grounded in realism, which is why I felt drawn to this drama. One of the things that immediately interested me about Crush was that the main character is blind, because it opens up a completely different way of experiencing the world. I also liked the career choices in the drama. A braille teacher, a composer, and someone wanting to work at a radio station all felt refreshing and meaningful, especially nowadays when most people spend their time online or watching series.It even made me realize how important radio actually is in this context. Before watching this drama, I sometimes thought that radio might eventually disappear, but afterward I realized how sad that would be. The series reminded me that voices, sound, and imagination can create connection in ways visual media sometimes cannot.
I also enjoyed the sweetness at the beginning and the way the characters felt imperfect and awkward while trying to navigate their first relationship. Their interactions felt warm, sincere, and playful, which really gave this series its soul.
I especially liked the way the story explored perception and how different people experience the world differently. Because the male lead is almost completely blind, even ordinary moments felt sensual and mindful. Watching the characters discover the world together created some of the drama’s strongest and most emotional scenes. It was beautiful to see how they slowly warmed up to one another and began integrating each other’s perspectives into their own.
However, even though the trailer hinted at some dramatic moments, I still felt somewhat misled because I did not expect such a huge middle-arc conflict to completely change the tone of the story.
The middle section especially felt overloaded with family drama and misunderstandings. Many conflicts were introduced, but not all of them were resolved in a satisfying or emotionally sincere way. Some side characters and friendships also felt underused, and I kept wondering what purpose certain friends had in the overall story besides occasionally moving the plot forward.
I also felt the character growth became less authentic over time. Certain personality traits that were initially sweet and playful gradually started to feel impertinent or frustrating instead. The characters also seemed to lose some of the warmth that originally made them so likable.
One thing that especially disappointed me was how the drama handled the topic of blindness later on. Earlier in the story, it beautifully showed that although people perceive the world differently, there can still be beauty in those experiences. However, later parts of the drama made it feel as though being blind automatically meant being incomplete or “broken” until it could be medically fixed. I wholeheartedly support people gaining sight through operations if they want to, but I disliked the implication that blindness itself was something inherently defective. This felt contradictory to the more nuanced and compassionate message the beginning seemed to present.
Another missed opportunity for me was the couple’s shared daily life. I would have loved to see more scenes of them learning how to truly live together — creating routines, understanding each other’s needs, balancing messy and careful spaces, and finding practical ways to support one another. That kind of grounded relationship development would have been much more meaningful to me than the excessive dramatic conflicts that took over the story.
I also wish the characters had experienced more genuine healing by the end of the story, especially the male lead. At times, it felt as though emotional wounds were simply pushed aside rather than truly understood and worked through.
Despite my criticisms, I still think Crush had a beautiful emotional unique moments. Even after the drama lost most of its direction later on.
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Why Is This So Good Though?
Honestly I didn’t have very high hopes. I usually feel like time travel to modern day stories can seem a bit dull and not as fun as time travel dramas set in the past, but this one completely proved me wrong.The chemistry between both leads is amazing and I love how chaotic and all over the place their dynamic is while still feeling natural. The story flows really well with no dragging at all.
And the male lead the way he yearns and is completely crazily in love is just wow. It’s honestly top tier acting. Whoever cast him as the male lead deserves a raise!
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As for the story itself, it was both sensitive and heartwarming. Perhaps only people who have not yet found peace with their inner child will fully understand what I mean, but this story genuinely touched my heart. I wish comfort, healing, and self-acceptance to everyone who is dealing with trauma or struggles related to their inner child.
Santa's performance made me become deeply attached to the character of young Sun, and he made me cry many times throughout the series. I could also genuinely feel the pressure that Bobmik's character experienced while taking care of Solar.
However, despite all that, I felt that the series was a little rushed at times. Some of the most important events happened rather quickly, and I wish certain moments had been given more time to develop so that their emotional impact could have been explored more deeply.
The series is filled with emotions, whether it's sadness, sympathy, love, or the warmth of family bonds. I highly recommend watching it. ❤️
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Had Promise, But Needed More
I remember when only friends came out, so many people were talking about wanting the lesbian version of the show. Then, to have one of the directors of only friends direct girl rules, I was super excited! I feel like the women of GMM do not get the same level of hype as the men, so believe me when I say I was PUMPED to see some messy lesbian drama. Unfortunately, some of it fell flat and I found some of the characters flat out unlikeable.Prim (Namtan) runs Lady Bird, a film company, alongside her friend Min (View). When stylist Gorya (Love), who happens to be an old friend of Prim, tries to make a move on her, Prim's ex-girlfriend Bambi (Film) comes back into the picture. While Gorya and Bambi are fighting for Prim's attention, model Shasha (Milk) can't figure out why Gorya doesn't like her - and is determined to change that. And as Min finally breaks things off with her toxic boyfriend, her junior Praew (Mim) is ready to help her get over him.
While I enjoyed a show about adult women (not in school for once) and their messy relationships, I found Bambi to be wholly unlikeable. Everything about her character left me annoyed and frustrated. For a lot of the show, I found myself wanting Prim and Gorya to be together. This is nothing against the actors or their pairings, I just could NOT like the relationship between Prim and Bambi. Way too much back and forth on the same conflicts, and not enough character development for me to care. On the other hand, I found myself LOVING ViewMim in this show. I thought their characters were so fun and realistic, and their conflicts had the weight that I wish the rest of them did. I also really enjoyed Milk and Love together in this show, but it took a little longer for me to enjoy them. Overall, the show was a good time and worth watching, and I loved seeing so many women on screen! I just wish they had done a better job on the character building and creating unique conflicts that weren't repetitive.
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Sanitized and nonsensical plot
One should always take these 8+ star GL reviews with a grain of salt because most of the GLs themselves have a low production value and are practically unwatchable even at 1.5-2x speed. I was looking forward to this one mainly because of Engfa/Charlotte, after loving their dynamic in Petrichor. But, I have to say, after having watched Petrichor and enjoying the grittiness, the chemistry, and the more mature plot than most GLs and BLs go into, The Water was jarring in the way it sanitized the romance and sexiness and in how nonsensical and uninspiring the plot was.If I didn't know better, I would've thought this was another GMM show – lighting overblown, a majority of the characters acting in the exact same way without having any of their own agency, the leads flat cut-outs acting as if possessed by the script rather than people with dimension and nuance, highly sensationalized antagonists, a lot of hoopla over some lackluster flirting and immature hints at sex, and a plot that I would not be able to describe to someone who hasn't seen the show. Also, I will be awaiting the day when GLs have better body representation and stray outside of the 2 femmes archetype, because, no matter how they dress Engfa, she passes as a femme with a sprinkle of butch energy.
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Either it's Kill Me,Heal Me or Secret Love..you will meet Ji Sung and Hwang Jung Eum's brilliance
UPDATE:Completed: June 1 2026
Rating : 9.0
Cleared this so fast like a plate of Topokki..
The emotional range Ji Sung gave us in Kill Me, Hwang Jung Eum completely matches it in Secret Love. These two had such insane chemistry in all their emotions , either they are having a screaming match or making us feel like we are interrupting something we shouldn't. Honestly I they could have gotten married in real life, nobody would have questioned it. Imagine doing two projects together in a span of two years..and showing up..(**yes I know they are/were both married to different people)
They don't make these anymore..
I repeat..
They don't
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Somthing is missing
I really wanted to enjoy this drama, but it ended up feeling disappointing. Even though it only had 25 episodes, it felt much longer because the pacing dragged a lot. I skipped through many scenes because the story wasn’t engaging enough to keep my attention.The actors did a decent job, and the chemistry between the leads was there—but the romance itself felt strangely empty. They had moments where you could feel potential, but the drama never really gave that emotional or touching payoff. Something always felt missing, especially in scenes that were supposed to feel romantic or meaningful.
I actually liked the second couple more, but even their story felt underdeveloped. They had potential too, and I wish they had been given more romantic scenes and a stronger ending. Instead, it felt like their storyline was wrapped up too quickly with a simple “let’s start over,” and that was it.
The last episode especially felt off. The surprise proposal sounded like it would be emotional and memorable, but the execution felt rushed and didn’t leave much impact. After all the dragging in earlier episodes, the ending suddenly moved too fast.
Overall, it wasn’t terrible—the acting was okay and there were some good moments—but the pacing, lack of emotional depth, and weak romantic payoff made it feel like a waste of time for me. I finished it hoping for a satisfying ending, but it never fully delivered
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Love Beyond Words
Mumu begins on a deeply emotional note, immediately establishing the harsh reality of how easily society can take advantage of those who are hearing impaired. The film centers around Xiao Ma and his daughter Mumu, whose lives are thrown into turmoil when Mumu’s mother, Xiao Jing, suddenly returns with the intention of suing for custody in order to take their daughter away.Faced with the possibility of losing Mumu, Xiao Ma becomes desperate to prove that he is capable of providing a stable life for his daughter. The film does an excellent job portraying how pressure, fear, and love can push someone into making morally questionable decisions. While the agreement made between Xiao Ma and Xiao Jing is understandable from an emotional standpoint, it does not excuse how poorly the situation was handled. Xiao Jing’s feelings of loneliness and emotional isolation are valid, especially after spending years feeling disconnected and unsupported, but her actions fail to consider the emotional impact her sudden return would have on both Xiao Ma and Mumu.
After finally securing a job, Xiao Ma becomes involved in an incident that forces him into increasingly dangerous and degrading work in order to afford legal fees. His desperation blinds him to the consequences of his actions, and the film powerfully highlights how vulnerable hearing-impaired individuals can become in environments where others are willing to manipulate and exploit them. One of the film’s strongest aspects is how it portrays communication barriers. The interpreters may relay conversations, but those who can hear often fully grasp the hidden severity and manipulation behind certain situations, while Xiao Ma is left vulnerable and uncertain.
The movie beautifully captures silent moments of fear, hesitation, and emotional conflict through expressions alone. Even when Xiao Ma senses something is wrong, desperation outweighs caution because his only focus is keeping his daughter. Tragically, it is only after a devastating accident that he fully realizes the damage caused by his choices. By then, it is too late. Mumu, understanding everything her father sacrificed and the dangerous path he had gone down, ultimately chooses to live with her mother, not because she loves her father less, but because she wants to protect him from destroying himself further.
What makes the film especially emotional is that neither parent is portrayed as truly malicious. Instead, both Xiao Ma and Xiao Jing are emotionally blind in different ways. Xiao Ma becomes so consumed with keeping his daughter by his side that he ignores the consequences of his decisions, while Xiao Jing focuses solely on reclaiming Mumu without fully understanding the pain of separating a father and daughter who have grown together for years. Their actions come from love, but also from selfish desperation and emotional tunnel vision.
Fortunately, both characters eventually receive the wake-up call they desperately need. Xiao Ma finally acknowledges the mistakes he made, while Xiao Jing realizes that simply taking Mumu away does not automatically create a better life for her. The emotional growth of both parents gives the film its strongest and most heartfelt moments.
Since the story is largely told from Mumu’s point of view, the film does contain certain misalignments and moments where some details do not fully add up. However, this approach ultimately makes sense within the context of the narrative. Much of what is shown feels like fragmented childhood memories recalled from Mumu’s perspective at a young age, where emotions and significant moments are remembered more clearly than exact details or logical consistency. This storytelling choice adds a layer of realism to the film, making it feel less like a perfectly structured retelling and more like an emotional recollection of painful events from a child’s memory.
Ultimately, Mumu is a beautifully emotional story about love, sacrifice, and communication beyond spoken words. The film emphasizes that deep parental love and emotional understanding do not require sound to be profoundly felt. It also serves as a reminder for those who can hear to appreciate something so easily taken for granted.
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Wooof!! Red hot I say...this one is so much better than some of the more hyped ones
After episode 3, I must say that I love the tension and intrigue and the build-up for the 'revenge'......I started this only because I liked the dark storyline, to an extent Fuiaz, and the colour palette ...and am surprised how good the first episode was!! I guess this one will turn out to be one of those good story, good acting, gripping tales from iQIYIBL-needle Score: 7 Moderate BL-ness so far
The story, script, acting and production values - all of them are just right for this one, a least for now. The dark story, the stench of intense betrayal, the clueless guy turning the schemer and reaching his goal with powerful allies...and then, the allure of a romantic pair that seems intense, power and angst-craving driven, is a sure shot add-on......it definitely looks set to bang!! Glad that I decided to watch it.
Verdict: Watch
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Yes!
If you weren’t a fan of Speed and Love because it felt too rushed and overly dramatic, then this is such a good alternative. It’s more of a slow burn (which we LOVE), and you can already feel that pure, genuine love growing between them. I seriously love it, love it, LOVE IT.Honestly, I don’t really have anything bad to say. My only tiny complaint is that the male lead should’ve kept the blond hair. It gave such a good contrast with the female lead and added a little bit of that bad-boy vibe that made their dynamic even better.
I also really like the female lead because she doesn’t act childish or annoying. She has that sweet, smart, good-girl vibe while still feeling mature and natural, which makes her very easy to like and root for.
And for anyone worried about the cousin thing, there’s literally no “ick” factor. They’re not actually related, and they only met once when they were kids, so it doesn’t feel weird at all.
I’m honestly so happy I found this because I had SUCH high hopes for Speed and Love and ended up being utterly disappointed. This feels like the better version of that kind of story that I actually wanted: it’s softer, more believable, their conversation flows naturally, and it’s just overall so much better.
To be continued..
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