This review may contain spoilers
This drama didn’t just serve — it ATE, left no crumbs, and asked for dessert
From episode 1, I was already locked in like… “yep, this is gonna ruin my sleep schedule.”The visuals? INSANE.
The palace aesthetic? Straight-up Pinterest board material.
The chemistry between IU and Byeon Woo-seok? Bro… it was giving slow burn + eye contact + emotional damage combo pack 🥹💔
And don’t even get me started on the romance.
Like they didn’t just fall in love — they accidentally built emotional trust, trauma bonded, healed each other, AND still looked expensive doing it 💅✨
No unnecessary misunderstandings. No cringe dragging. Just two emotionally unavailable people slowly becoming each other’s safe place.
The ML?? HELLO GREEN FLAG PRINCE 👑
Not toxic. Not loud for no reason. Just standing there like a calm storm, ruining every other drama boyfriend for me.
And the FL?? ICON.
Smart, sharp, not waiting to be “saved” — she’s literally saving herself AND him at the same time. Main character behavior only 😌🔥
Also can we appreciate how this drama said:
“Let’s do royalty + business + romance + politics + angst + soft healing” and somehow DIDN’T collapse??
Because it should’ve been messy… but it was actually controlled chaos in designer clothes 🤌
Final verdict?
💯 Acting: 10/10
💯 Chemistry: 100/10
💯 Cinematography: illegal levels of pretty
💯 Emotional damage: confirmed
This isn’t just a drama.
It’s a whole experience, a personality shift, and a warning for your future standards 😭💍
If you didn’t feel something while watching it… respectfully, were you even watching?? 👀
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A Story Beyond Flaws, A Cast Beyond Limits
Perfect Crown isn’t just another romance—it’s the kind of story that quietly takes over your thoughts long after the screen goes dark.From the very first scene, it pulls you into a world where every glance carries weight, every word feels intentional, and every moment between the leads feels like it was written to be remembered. IU and Byeon Woo-seok deliver performances that don’t just look beautiful—they feel real. Their chemistry doesn’t rely on misunderstandings or forced tension; instead, it blooms through trust, understanding, and a connection so natural it almost hurts to watch.
What makes this drama stand out is its maturity in storytelling. No unnecessary drama, no loud chaos—just two people learning how to stand beside each other in a world that constantly tests them. And yet, it never feels boring. It feels breathless.
The romance? Easily one of the most heartfelt in recent K-drama history.
The communication? Refreshingly healthy.
The emotional depth? Quietly devastating in the best way.
And the ML… possibly one of the greenest flags ever written.
By the end, Perfect Crown doesn’t just give you a love story—it gives you a feeling you’ll keep chasing in every drama after it.
A royal romance done right—elegant, emotional, and impossible to forget. 👑
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This review may contain spoilers
Forgiveness
This movie struck a chord that few films ever manage to hit. This is a one-time watch — not because it entertains in the traditional sense, but because it portrays the concept of forgiveness with a brutal honesty that stays with you long after the credits roll.The Dark Side of Forgiveness
What makes this film so powerful is that it doesn't romanticize forgiveness. Instead, it asks the uncomfortable question: What if your forgiveness only encourages the other person to repeat their behavior? The guilt and confusion that haunt the one who forgives — especially after losing someone close — is portrayed not as nobility, but as another form of torment. It's a perspective rarely seen in mainstream cinema, and it hits hard.
The film also captures a painful truth about the people we love the most: they can bloom us with unlimited love one moment and treat us as if we don't exist the next. They disregard our identity, our pain, our very existence — and somehow, we're still expected to understand.
Ji Min's Story — A Soul Murdered, Not a Body
Ji Min's character is the heartbeat of this film, and what she endures is nothing short of horrifying. The beating she receives is inexcusable — and wrong is wrong. It doesn't depend on gender, experience, or authority. She didn't deserve any of it.
What's even more disturbing is how the people around her justify the abuse. "It was for her own good" — a phrase that should never be used to excuse violence. The film makes it clear: this isn't discipline. This is a murder of her soul. Even though Ji Min achieves and excels in every aspect of life afterward, she will always remain hurt. That wound doesn't heal just because you succeed.
And then there's the way people misread her — the assumption that because she talks a certain way, she must be "asking for it." That's not her fault. That's a reaction to the treatment she received. Her mother always taking her father's side, even when he is obviously wrong, is a betrayal within a betrayal. And when they asks her to ask for forgiveness? that's another level of cruelty.
Her brother and others who stood by and participated in the silence — were they genuinely right, or were they simply cowards, terrified that if they stood up for her, they'd be treated the same way? And the worst part? Even while being scared for themselves, they still had the audacity to ask her for understanding.
The Main Lead — Understandable, Yet Unsettling
The main lead's emotions are completely understandable. She was in despair, confused, questioning whether she did the right thing. That inner turmoil is portrayed with remarkable accuracy. However, the fact that she forgives the culprit without an apology is genuinely unsettling. It leaves you with a knot in your stomach — because it mirrors what so many real-life victims are pressured into doing.
The Priests — The Real Villains?
This is where the film becomes truly alarming. The priests' approach to forgiveness is not compassion — it's manipulation. They race to make people forgive as quickly as possible, without ever trying to understand the victim's family's perspective. It feels like they're not on the side of justice; they're on the side of the culprit.
The victims' families are clearly saying, "The culprit hasn't repented." And yet the priests keep pushing the victims to "understand and forgive." These sessions should be held with the culprits — to make them realize the weight of their actions — not weaponized against the people who were destroyed by them.
No Neat Ending — And That's the Point
The movie doesn't wrap up neatly, and I believe that's entirely intentional. The director wanted the audience to focus on the message, not the plot. And the message is delivered loud and clear:
Even if you forgive someone, it's not guaranteed they will behave well.
True forgiveness, the film suggests, should only come when you genuinely want it — for your own peace, or for Allah's sake — with zero expectations from the other side. Both are incredibly difficult to achieve. And if you're unable to forgive? Don't do it for society. Don't do it for anyone else.
Final Verdict
This isn't a movie that gives you answers. It gives you questions — and those questions are the kind that keep you up at night. It challenges everything we've been taught about forgiveness, family, and justice. If you're looking for a film that doesn't sugarcoat the ugly truths of human relationships, this is it.
Watch it. Feel it. And think about it — because this message needs to be heard.
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The Best Detective Variety Show Ever
I am in love with this show from the second season. I started watching it for Zhang Linghe. The plot, costumes, reasoning, actors , NPC's ,EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS SHOW IS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT AND AMAAAZZZZZZZZINGGGGGG. I am waiting for the rest of the episodes. I totally loved the guest stars. And this season has started with a bang righttttt. The helicopter and boiler scene , the beginning cage and electric game and then you have Zhang Linghe playing obsessive possessive husband punishing a mosquito who bit his wife damnnnn I enjoyed it so so much. This show has a special place in my heart. The 2 hour episodes feel less. I love it that much. Plus they give you extra contents daily. I have been watching it from previous year and will be watching it further. I hope they continue making more and more seasons.Was this review helpful to you?
A Drama Where Even the Child Actors Deliver Perfection
Here’s my honest review of Perfect Crown.This drama truly has one of the most outstanding casts ever assembled. IU and Byun Woo-seok delivered top-tier performances, bringing depth, emotion, and effortless chemistry to every scene.
What makes their relationship so special is that it proves romance doesn’t need misunderstandings or toxic conflicts to feel intense and meaningful—their love is built on trust, communication, and pure emotional connection.
Their romance feels natural yet powerful, with some of the most beautifully written and acted intimate moments, including truly unforgettable kiss scenes. The male lead is the ultimate green flag—calm, loyal, protective —while the female lead carries herself like a true diva: strong, graceful, and unshakably confident. Together, they become each other’s strength and healing.
The supporting cast is just as impressive. Every single character, including the child actors, delivers remarkably convincing performances that elevate the entire story. Not a single role feels weak or out of place.
The drama also stands out for its intense emotional scenes and its unforgettable OST, which perfectly enhances every moment and lingers long after the episode ends.
I have never rewatched a drama before, but Perfect Crown became the only exception.
Perfect Crown is a Once-in-a-Lifetime Drama with No Weak Performance!! 😭✨💕
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IGNORE THE REVIEWS (NOT MINE) AND WATCH IT ASAP
My Stand-In was a very good drama. A lot of people told me that the male lead was a red flag, that he was a bad person, and that he did terrible things. They used big statements like how he destroyed someone's career and made it sound extremely serious.As someone who reads reviews before watching a drama, I expected something much worse. The way people described it made it seem like there were heinous actions and extreme wrongdoing. But honestly, that was not my experience at all.
I think you can only truly judge a drama after watching it yourself. You cannot reduce an entire story or character to a keyword like "red flag" and expect that to tell the whole story. Everyone has their own perception. Because of those reviews, I judged this drama heavily and decided I was not going to watch it. Now that I have watched it, I can confidently say that it was actually very good.
One thing I especially appreciated was the groveling. In many dramas, there is little to no groveling at all. Characters make mistakes, say a quick sorry, and move on. They simply kiss and make up, which is a common trope in BL dramas. It is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is rare to see genuine remorse handled well.
Here, the male lead truly suffered for his mistakes. He was sorry, he cried, and he desperately tried to make things right. Yes, he did Joe dirty, but the story never ignored that. The emotional payoff was satisfying because of how much regret and effort went into earning forgiveness.
The pacing was good, the story kept me engaged, and considering it was made by the producers behind Top Form and their company, it turned out to be a solid drama overall.
I would definitely recommend watching it for yourself instead of relying solely on online reviews. Many people dismiss it because of things they have heard about the main character, but I do not think that gives a fair picture of the drama. It has strong emotional moments, good angst, and one of the better portrayals of groveling that I have seen.
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Better than the drama adaptation when it comes to plot flow
My review is based on comparison between the drama and the movie as I've already watched half of the drama.- Acting - I think both are good. Both give different vibes while the drama chen is more feminine and damsel is distress vibed the movie chen is more masculine
- Plot flow - i really think the movie did a good job with the flow cz in the drama there were things I'd be confused with like how the brother never tells him about the letter/message, chen hating lu for silly reason like he didn't tell me, the dad not being unnecessarily abusive, the in laws not being exes, lu stopping and not raping chen when he said he didn't love him. The plot had a flow in the movie like for an action there was a reaction and it went on which was not the case in the drama. In the drama chen just kept getting sudden episodes of "i can't be with lu". The characters were not very intense and written in moderation here which i also something i liked.
I do get people who recommended me to watch the movie cz i agree.
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This review may contain spoilers
The drama highlights the male lead's virtues much less, while Anong is more adorable.
In the book, the male lead has to go through many more hardships and prove his goodness far more than in the drama. To begin with, his family is not wealthy, and they do not live in a large house. He originally wanted to join the military but had to give up that dream to become a judge instead. He then works hard to support his younger siblings, redeems the inherited farmland for Choi, and even borrows money from others to buy a house for Chatchai to use as his bridal home. To make things more sacrificial, the woman Chatchai marries is Chanthon—the very woman the male lead secretly loves. Due to this heartbreak, combined with neglecting his own health, he falls severely ill.While the series changes the story so that Khun Phra already loves Anong, the book depicts Anong being deeply impressed by Khun Phra's goodness. She volunteers to take care of his heart to match his virtue, which eventually touches him and makes him love her in return.
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This review may contain spoilers
Good Chemistry on leads and side characters
The story is good and the acting of the cast too. The side characters was also someone you can't ignore too. However, ep 3 love scene. I don't think its needed many series right now are coming out and I get they want to be competitive about it. But it shows Sun is too weak and can't fight for herself also I find it abusive 🤔. Ep 7 can be prolonged too, there are so many things that Sun and Flint can do when they are trying to figure out their relationship. Anyways, kudos to the team who came up with this storyWas this review helpful to you?
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How to destroy a fan favourite IP in 10 episodes or less.
I've given this enough time to marinate. Here's my review, and I'll try to be succinct. This was a mess of a show from the get-go, in the worst way possible. Notice how I use the word "mess", it is intentional: when the public thinks of the Only Friends IP, we immediately associate it with intersecting storylines about romance, betrayal, misunderstanding, broken trust, and difficult relationships involving morally colorful characters that are so raw and humanly imperfect, one can't help but adore them.This show had none of that; in fact, this show made the effort to destroy all the interesting parts of the characters from this season and the previous one. Case in point: TopMew. Two very headstrong characters, now turned influencers, that are lovey-dovey sweet as candy off-camera. No banter, which not only ForceBook are great at but was also an identifying trait of their characters' relationship, and their ambitions completely tossed aside to become a narrative tool for Dean and Jack. Speaking of narrative tools: SandRay. Oh, dear SandRay what have they done to you? After struggling with addiction to the point where rehabilitation was FORCED onto Ray and Sand feeling the guilt of being part of the problem with his illicit alcohol business, you are telling me the couple are now fully committed to selling alcohol? Thank God they seem to forget all about it in the last episode, where we see SandRay doing what they actually wanted to do at the end of S1: dedicate themselves to music.
Enough reminiscing, let's talk about this season, and let's start with the best couple: RomeRaffy. I am not putting this up for debate; AouBoom did a phenomenal job, even though they were the result of the recast (which we all loved) way later and their characters barely had 20 minutes of screen time (I'm being hyperbolic). This storyline worked because it followed the SandRay formula: a lovesick boy, who is also proud and stubborn, falls for an emotionally unavailable boy, who hides his insecurities under a stone-cold facade. I loved Raffy. Defying expectations set by his mother, only to end up exploiting what he hated most about her: the managing. I thought it was paradoxical but also a way of breaking the cycle, as he is now a manager as well, but he knows what a GOOD manager has to do and be. Especially while managing someone he loves. Also, how does he step into the pampering role of the relationship after Rome's ultimatum, turning Rome into a Tan variant? Their relationship was what Only Friends is about, if only we weren't missing a key part. A key part that was missing from this show entirely.
Why weren't they kissing eachother?
I don't care about the "but the fans want the fixed couples" or "the fans are going to go CRAZY (/neg) if you don't give them the cps" excuses, because they are not true: if there is anything GMMTV is good at, it is giving us happy endings by all means necessary. Your cp will be fine by the end, I promise. We know this. Give us Dean and Raffy getting it on nasty style.There was no excuse to not do so; their reconciliation would have been more cathartic if they had just fucked their rivalry away: putting themselves in a battle for power, only to realize how the moment is truly vulnerable and intimate, and then laying their heart out for each other. They wouldn't fall in love, but it would have been, again, cathartic.
Sorry, I had better points to make, but let me just scream to the void: HOW ARE YOU CASTING DEAN AND ARNOLD AS MAIN LEADS TO A ROMANTIC PLAY, AND WE DON'T EVEN SEE THEM KISS??? That took me fully out of it. Joss and Mix are actors who are playing actors. Kissing your co-worker IS PART OF THE JOB; their whole arc is about this!! Completely unacceptable and disappointing. Think about it: Tua sees Dean kissing Arnold and goes ballistic, finds Jack in the crowd, and shoves his tongue down his throat. Chaos ensues. AND THIS IS WHAT ONLY FRIENDS IS ABOUT, GODDAMN IT.
I won't even go into Arnold and Tua's storyline because the lazy writing did these two talented boys no justice. Their slow burn was wasted; they should have been the friends-with-benefits couple of the season, and if I'm honest, I wanted Tua to be A FULL BITCH. I wanted him to be sarcastic and snappy, Boston-style one-liners and comebacks. Not his ex. Which. Again, fucking wasted. These writers hate Boston with PASSION. What do you mean, "I don't do hookups anymore"? What do you mean, "I want to commit"? WHAT DO YOU MEAN "I DON'T FUCK DRUNK PEOPLE"? Where is my Boston, and what have you done to him? A narrative point for ArnoldTua but with no clear objective, as he was a passive bystander, not even playing Cupid properly.
Speaking of happy endings, I was so happy when I thought Dean and Jack weren't going to end up together. The ending was rushed and badly written (which could be applied to a lot of arcs of this show, but this is getting too long), Jack's character's redemption was appallingly done, and his character lacked the depth they wanted so desperately to give him. Why, in the first season, do we make Ray's rehab moment the most poignant point of his character arc, but for Jack it is a passing comment that barely has any effect on his relationship with Dean? Sure, it is mentioned; sure, it gives Dean pause, but there's no follow-up. The most interesting part of Jack's character, and we aren't given any more explanation than a few lines and the understanding that he can drink safely now. Just such bad writing. We deserved better; they deserved better.
I'll stop here for now; this was so not worth the hype.
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A Refreshing Breath of Air
This drama has a very deep lore for people who are associated with Yaoi fandoms and have been watching asian dramas for long in general. On the surface it is a mere comedy drama but the writing is actually genius. I rarely rate anything a 10/10 actually but I think this one deserves it and let me explain why :1. THE YAOI LORE : This drama took me back to the early japanese Yaoi where crazy good looking characters with extremely unrealistic desirable traits used to be created. This one using the classic 'F4' trope and the various Kabedon situations and the Yaoi tropes employed had me chuckling but also left me impressed. They were parodied well and were really funny but I never felt like they were mocking the genre. Although it was supposed to be caricaturish but they still treated the whole thing with respect and appreciation.
2. THE SIDE CHARACTERS : Each side character has a personality of its own and perfectly capable of existing as an Individual that does not need the main character to have a life of its own. They feel like real people and frankly if this was developed into more episodes they all will have a lot to contribute. This was the most impressive point of this drama. Be it her parents or other students they are all so well written. Although it is just a 16 episodes drama with each episode being half an hour long sp really its like an 8 episode mini-series but I feel like they really took their time to write this.
3. INTERESTING AND REFRESHING PREMISE : I did not skip a single second of this drama. I was not bored for even a moment. I don't even remember when that happened the last time while watching an asian drama. I would not say thats its a masterpiece but it is genuinely the best thing I have seen in last 2 years.
4. INSPIRATIONAL : 'The coming of Age' factor is really heavy in this one. The teacher - student relationship is genuinely heart touching and by the end of the series I felt like picking up back on Writing as a hobby that I left a long time back. This drama left me weirdly emotional on many parts and I was surprised by the depth of it because I did not delve into this expecting that.
ALL I WANNA SAY IS I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS DRAMA AND I WILL DEFINITELY REWATCH THIS MORE THAN ONCE !!!!
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Overall Ratings:
Excitement While Watching: 9/10There were several exciting moments throughout the show where my heart was racing. I often felt nervous about what was going to happen next, and the overall sense of intrigue kept me engaged.
Overall Enjoyment: 9/10
I really enjoyed this show. It held my full attention from start to finish and made me want to binge-watch every episode.
Pacing: 8/10
The pacing was very good overall. Some parts felt a little rushed, while others moved a bit slowly, but it was generally well-balanced.
Directing: 7/10
Throughout the show, there were a few moments where I felt confused by the editing. Characters would appear in one location and then suddenly be somewhere else in the next shot. At times, a character would disappear from a scene without explanation. These moments pulled me out of the story because I had to rewind and piece together what had happened on my own.
Filler: 8/10
Some scenes felt unnecessary, but nothing significant enough that I would recommend skipping them.
Romance: 7/10
I felt very little chemistry between the two leads. My favorite part of a romance is usually watching the initial bond develop between the characters. While I liked the "love at first sight" trope, I felt that much of its potential led to disappointment. The romance often felt like the characters were telling each other how great their connection was rather than showing the audience why they were the perfect match. During some of the more intense romantic moments, I found myself distracted by the male lead's tendency to laugh or smile, which lessened the emotional impact. I actually preferred the relationship with the second love interest later in the show because it felt more like two people genuinely getting to know each other rather than instantly declaring their love.
Overall Story: 8/10
The story was very enjoyable, although it is not the best strategy-focused drama I've seen. I appreciated that the show did not spoon-feed every detail to the audience and trusted viewers to connect the dots themselves. However, there were a few plot points that felt unnecessarily convoluted, as if complexity was added for its own sake.
Characters: 8/10
Most of the characters were very likable, including many of the villains. However, I would have appreciated deeper insight into their motivations and decision-making processes.
Acting: 8/10
There were many strong performances throughout the show. However, as mentioned earlier, some scenes involving the male lead felt off to me and occasionally pulled me out of the story.
Visuals: 7/10
The visuals were solid overall and helped support the atmosphere of the show. While there were some memorable shots, nothing particularly stood out as exceptional.
Audio: 7/10
The audio team did a good job overall, but there were a few musical choices that made me laugh unintentionally. I especially noticed this during some of the comedy transitions. I remember several intense scenes that were abruptly followed by comedic music, which sometimes weakened the emotional impact of the moment.
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The show’s storytelling and visual communication are poor.
During episode 13, I understand that a soul blending (a deep spiritual intercourse) takes place, but the visual execution is confusing. When the female lead enters the male lead's spiritual realm, she touches his forehead while he is fully clothed. However, when she comes out, he is shirtless while she remains fully dressed. After that, the male lead wakes up, touches her forehead, and they both enter the spiritual realm together. Still, it remains unclear whether any physical intimacy actually occurred because the visuals fail to convey it.The male lead’s acting falls far short of the female lead’s. His eyes are completely dead; he fails to communicate that he is looking at her with love and gratitude for saving his life. Watching a bit further into episodes 13 to 15, I understand he is supposed to play a cool, tsundere character, but if his eyes cannot convey his inner feelings, the audience simply won't buy it.
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Loveeeeeee this drama
First of all, I will start with the secretary who thinks because she likes her boss, the vice chairman, she is allowed to do whatever she likes. And I blame the vice chairman for letting it slide. she crossed the line a lot times but it was still overlooked. I loved when Joo Ah told her to watch her tone and reminded her she had no right speaking to an executive that way. Good thing she was fired. So entiled for someone who has loan shark and family problems. The way she visited Noh after ghosting him is even more annoying and he was even kind enough to her stay. To think she hated Joo Ah because she borrowed her her designer pair of shoes is just wild.And to the vice chairman's brother Jeon threatening Joo Ah to take his side is just another case of entitlement. He should have asked nicely Joo would have considered . using her subordinates to threaten her was just low. And always bringing up his stepmother's mental health is crazy. Their father was even worse.
Buttttt I love their chemistry😩😩😩😩.
Shin Hye Sun did so well. I love how the comedy and romance those little thrillers were incorporated. Especially that scene where she asked the team members to go back because she order in their dinner only for them to catch those two having an affair at conference room😂she gave us something fresh after the art of Sarah.
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Enjoyable drama about time traveller, family dispute and ML trying hard to win FL's affections
I enjoyed the version starring Li Ke Yi & Lu Dan Dong and remember looking for other versions. This was added last year but I only got the mood to watch it today. It was different from Li Ke Yi version well I enjoyed this one too.What I liked:
1. FL characterisation - She was regal and refined. I liked that she took her time travelling as an advantage and never whined about missing her past life. She compared the pros and cons and found enlightenment.
2. ML characterisation - Unlike Lu Dan Dong's ML, Yin Yi Bo's ML had more screentime and importance in FL's life. I liked that he was observant & secretly did things that would please FL.
3. Acting - I must say Cui Xiao Xuan was fantastic in her role. She managed to portray poise and elegance of being a noble transplanted in modern era. Yin Yi Bo was charming in this role. They had good chemistry.
4. Romance - Their romance felt natural. He fell for her first and she couldn't be bothered by his crush on her but they were respectful to each other.
5. Supporting characters - I liked ML's grandma & younger sis for being nice to FL. ML's friend's observations were spot on and often time amusing. ML's assistant was doing his job - the actor's visual grabbed my attention.
6. Styling - I liked FL's wardrobe - her usual outfits and the banquet dress were pretty. I didn't understand why university students must wear school uniform though. Anyway ML's suits fitted him so well.
7. Pacing - Done well. 2.5 hours went by easily.
What I disliked:
1. Antagonists - The amount of people jealous of FL was insane. Guess rich girls are catty & insecure. I disliked FL's parents for being biased.
2. Kissing - The kissing scenes were awkward. I don't know whether it’s due to the leads' skill or preference or director's instructions (maybe no steamy kisses?).
Favourite scene
When ML taught FL about hugging
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