—tight, cinematic, and clearly crafted with care
I’m currently on episode 4 of WU, and I already think it’s one of the strongest series I’ve watched this year. It easily competes with shows like Khemjira in terms of quality and impact, even this early in the run.The performances from Sky and Nani are superb—both bring a lot of depth and nuance to their characters, making every scene feel grounded and emotionally charged. Even though this isn’t a BL series, there’s definitely a subtle “BL scent” in their bromance that adds an extra layer of tension and chemistry without taking away from the main narrative.
What really stands out is how well-prepared and intentional the storytelling feels. Even as an ongoing series, the execution is already impressive—tight, cinematic, and clearly crafted with care. The emotional tone hits hard, giving it that high-budget, premium production feel.
So far, it’s gripping, well-acted, and genuinely addictive. I’m definitely locked in for the rest of the episodes.
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We are all trying here especially when trying to write a half decent review
Okay I don't usually write reviews of dramas or movies I've watched because I suck at it like really bad. However this was a drama that I i just had to express my love for so here we go.The story was something that personally i had never seen before. In all my life that i have watched hundreds and hundreds of dramas, shows and movies I have never really given a thought for the directors, writers and crew. When watching this drama it felt as if a door cracked open and there was this whole new world in another perspective. The story felt real and painful. It felt as if it was actually happening and it seemed like it wasn't fiction. The whole time I was watching the show I felt this thrill and excitement which was unusual because this wasn't a thriller. I was waiting for what could happen next?
But even though I was invested in the story and the characters I cant say it didn't feel jarring at some points. Some moments felt a little too long. To watch this guy just write nothing but even then i stayed and watched. I watched and remembered the feeling of being trapped because you are not brave enough to write what you want. The agony of being scared of hurting others with your writing or so atleast i read it. Even in the jarring moments i thought and wondered. It felt fresh to always see something in the smallest scenes that usually mean nothing to me.
If we talk about meaning nothing, we need to talk about the characters in a deeper level. Every character in the drama felt real. They felt like they were there and they were living. It felt real. I couldn't bring myself to hate anyone in this drama because everyone was so real. I could see what was going on. I couldn't see it from their words that said it straight but the mannerism, their lifes and their actions. As if they were actually living and breathing.
The love and romance need to be mentioned too. This drama showed love and relationship in such a raw and real way. The romance was suddle and secret it didn't yell and it didn't scream that "hey im here im here" but it was secret and quiet about it even in the moments that it wasn't.
The relationships in another hand were all beautiful in their own way. It showed the hardships of loving someone and the beauty too.
Though after all this the drama wasn't perfect. Nothing is perfect. The drama had it's problems here and there like the ending that kinda felt perfect but still as if something was rushed. It had scenes that got you thinking whatt. But like i said nothing is perfect.
Now I know that this review isnt the best like i said I suck at this but overall this drama opens your eyes and makes you realize how important the small wins are. It makes you realize that you are not the only one trying and that even in the hardest times you can find a reason to continue. And now to end this yapping seasson please no one attack me I wrote this review on my own interpretation.
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Silly
After watching Zhou Yu Tong in Will Love in Spring and loving her performance there, I decided to watch this next. Her role here is a bit similar in that she's an aggressive independent woman in both dramas. But, I didn't like her character here at all. She's arrogant, silly, and not as smart as she thinks she is. As for Simon Gong, I've watched him in a lot of other dramas and have noticed he has a little bit of a feminine side, which became a lot more pronounced here. I don't know if that is what the directors wanted as a male lead or it' s just him. He talks like a woman here, which is a bit of a turnoff. So the female lead acts more like a man and the male lead acts more like a woman. Plus, the annoying spoiled second female lead is here. I read other negative reviews about how terrible the plot is and decided not to waste my time watching it.Was this review helpful to you?
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There are some flames where the smoke is........
Let's be honest. This was hyped up well before release because of KHY still riding high from Lovely Runner. The same thing was done for Tale of the No Tailed and the results are kind of in the same vicinity.........but........and let me be clear, this was NOT the dumpster fire that drama was~Gone was the lack of chemistry, very poor acting, and the interest in viewing the next episode. We got to see a KHY minus the machine gun speech that her fans consider a major part of her *charm* in addition to her beauty. I'm am NOT her fan but I felt the serious and realistic and fearful KHY who took time to think about decisions and whatnot was pretty good to take in. With no bs love story anywhere to be found, she and the cast fed off each others performances in most of the scenes rather well and I liked it~
A nice freaky little soundtrack with well placed CGI and great makeup for the *monsters* and that's where my praise stops. The story hits you, or doesn't hit you you could say, with disjointed scenes and explanations that made no sense, it was very difficult to follow but the ending was predictable because illusions played heavily into horror factor of the film. There's potential for another film but if it's going to be successful, it really needs to go lore heavy to have a better impact~
The film is ok, the visuals and sounds make it worth seeing via a theatre. If the story had been cleaned up some, I think it could easily have been a 9/10~
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Likeable lead characters, sizzling chemistry & well-written antagonist. I was entertained!
I watched Xu Zhen's mermaid drama a few days ago and enjoyed her acting a lot there. I decided to check out her other work and since this drama is available on iQIYI, I clicked play. I enjoyed it a lot!What I liked:
1. FL characterisation - I liked her train of thoughts - smart thinking & some unintentionally funny. I also liked her kindness.
2. ML characterisation - He was that ML who wasn't interested in women until he met FL but I liked that he wasn't aloof. He grew fond of FL as time progressed. I liked that scene about the knee mole and his expectations.
3. Romance - I liked how their relationship developed. Marriage of convenience that had partnership angle right from the get go. There was warmth right from the start and when they finally kissed, there was heat in those kisses.
4. Acting - Both Xu Zhen & Li Zi Jie were good in their roles with Xu Zhen portraying two different personas. There was sizzling chemistry between the two - I bought their characters' romance journey.
5. Supporting characters - ML's assistant was entertaining - he even got to perform action scene. I liked ML's mother & FL's adopted family. FL's adopted bro was sweet towards her.
6. Twist - I enjoyed that twist in the third act. Smart way to catch the antagonist in the act.
7. Pacing - 69 episodes went by fast. Never a draggy moment. Good mix of comedy & drama.
What I disliked:
1. Antagonist - She betrayed FL! What an opportunist! Needless to say, the antagonist was smart and not as pathetic as the usual female antagonists in other vertical dramas.
Favourite scene
When they were intimate for the first time
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Disappointed
Wanted to like this, was excited for it to drop but what on earth happened?Side characters from the village probably carried this show. Without the quirks it would have been flatter than Stanley. The girl in the shop though who just hated FL for most the show… annoying. Two faced. Leads… zero chemistry. Never felt sparks or the feels. So that was a waste. Not sure FL should be doing romance, its like there was no effort made for anything in that department. And honestly why do these countryside based dramas a) can zip into Seoul in a matter of minutes b) fixate around an item (potato or mushroom) - its not a strong enough plot point.
Kim Bum was a complete waste of talent.
In the end I found myself not giving two hoots how this ended and skipped thru the last 4 episodes. ugh.
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School Life And First Crushes
It is genuinely fun and adorable. It was so easy to mess up this plot but fortunately they didn't. Our main character is a high school student whose hobby is writing boy love fiction online. She isn't very successful but she suddenly starts drawing inspiration from 4 young and handsome teachers that join her school. Innocent words turn into thrilling, heart-fluttering romance and our young talent with an overactive imagination starts gaining more readership than she ever anticipated.The moments acted out by the teachers in her fantasy are such a wonderful contrast to the more serious personalities of her teachers in real life. But those scenarios were a blast to watch! Just when you thought this will turn boring soon, the show introduces new twists in the plot. The show deals with lots of realistic moments like friendships, crushes, jealousy, and heads of institutions that are simply killjoys.
Though the later episodes are more serious than fun, it was a pleasant watch. The final song was cute and gave the actors all a nice send off. It was a great coming of age story.
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Entertaining
The story, overall, is weak.But the tone is wildly unpredictable, and the show is mostly fun to watch. The expected frustrating tropes are there, but, thankfully, they are (mostly) resolved quickly. I never felt overly frustrated.
Most characters, except for the obvious villains, are charming and fun to watch. Each viewer will have his own favorite, probably.
For a learner of the Japanese language, it was on the more difficult side: for comedic delivery, a lot of lines were super fast. Vocabulary wise, there were a lot of Buddhist related terms, and some Kansai dialect.
Overall, funny with a hint of frustration at the weakness of the story.
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My Absolute Value of Romance = This Drama!!
Gosh...just where do I start??Some dramas, you seek them out. Some other dramas find you when you most need them and leave an impression so big, you know you will inadvertently compare every new show you watch with it.
Absolute Value of Romance is definitely the latter for me. Carrying me through two of the heaviest months of my life, this show has been the reason I looked forward to my weekends. It feels bittersweet to finally see it finish but what a journey it has been!
From story to pacing to the performances, theme and OST, everything kept getting better every week, and to maintain not just consistency but to keep getting better and better with every new episode over a 16 episode stretch is not an easy feat. But this drama managed to do that, no excuses, and to me, that feels like witchcraft considering I usually do not watch high school themed shows unless someone is chasing another violently with a box cutter.
And as far as high school themed dramas or any drama for that matter goes, this show has one of the most unique premises I've come across. To feature a high school student who writes BLs for a hobby and is using her teachers as her muses for her new fiction novel featuring men in love with each other takes guts, but then to do that this tastefully is nothing short of brilliance from the makers and cast. To handle a subject like this with lightheartedness could not have been easy because every joke is inevitably walking a thin line between humor and offense. And this drama doesn't slip once. Like I said, witchcraft ✨️
Kim Hyangi as Yeo Euiju is truly the star of the show. She shines in every single moment, her knack for humor and the warmth and sincerity she brings to Euiju is one of the biggest reasons this drama stands out. Truly a phenomenal actress who is bound for greatness!
Cha Hakyeon as Ga U Su made me wish for a teacher like him when I was a student. Not only is he gorgeous, but the passion he brings to his job and the way he respects his students going to any length to see them succeed was super inspiring. The cat and mouse dynamic between Euiju and him are only made more interesting by the natural chemistry between them. The drama excels in showing Ga U Su as the swoonworthy math teacher he is. The maturity, acceptance and respect he shows to his students was attractive enough that I couldn't blame Euiju, an adolescent who was witnessing her first example of what masculine goodness can look like, for eventually falling for him like anyone would have.
But do not be mistaken. This is not a show about a teacher x student romance. In fact, all the teachers in this show exercise very clear boundaries with their students even when the students make their awkward moves. If you've been through adolescence yourself, you'd know that feeling attraction for someone older and more mature and stable than you is a normal part of growing up, so please approach it with an open mind.
There are so many moments that stand out in this show, like the way Euiju sorts garbage in a dumpster truck just to find Ga U Su's glasses she dumped in it before realizing he had a serious eye condition and couldn't function normally without them, or the moment when Ga U Su gives Euiju the best advice he possibly could have in a moment when Euiju's entire life feels like it's crumbling in front of her, or the way Euiju finally makes her confession to Ga U Su in the only language he will understand, and that's math! She writes her feelings in a formula and let's him calculate it haha! He obviously doesn't accept but I couldn't have thought of a better way for that scene to play out. When she said that her absolute value of romance was him, I literally swooned, not because I was cheering for their relationship but merely from a technical confession analysis standpoint. It was a genius creative decision because it completely aligns with the theme of the show: her using her strength in writing to communicate to someone in a language they can understand, which was in this case, math.
All the moments of friendship also stand out. It was so refreshing to see a high school story where the kids weren't violently bullying each other but instead were genuinely supportive. Even misunderstandings were resolved with the innocence of adolescence. The four teachers have their own bond, long term friends who happen to share the same profession and are roommates. Their unconditional support of each other was also a delight to watch every week.
There is so much more that I can say about this show but I think this is one of those dramas that's best experienced for yourself.
At its core, this is a story of friendship, what it means to have good mentorship in your life from caring adults, and the awkwardness and hilarity that naturally come out of a coming of age story about young girls who learn to find confidence and purpose within themselves and each other.
I truly wish viewers who are willing to go into a show woth open mind give this show a chance. I also recommend this for viewers who enjoy absurd comedy, and a whole lot of heart in their dramas.
Thank you to the makers! My Absolute Value of Romance has been your drama these past 8 weeks :")
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Healing & Comforting Kdrama
Even though this show is mainly categorized as a romcom it's actually way more than that.A realistic show about how human beings struggle in life and end up mentally struggling due to that.
Then also how being in a natural carefree relaxing environment like the village shown here with it's sweetest kind villagers can fix you up and take all your troubles away.
It also addresses friendships, relationships, family troubles, betrayals, worklife balance, and ofcource finding your true love.
The main leads are able to heal each other, fix each other's bad habits and live a happy life together.
Surprisingly all the side characters here were so fun to watch.
My most favorite part was seeing the simple and beautiful village and village life.
Ahn Hyoseop never disappoints with a romcom.
Chae Wonbin it was my first seeing her and my girl is just spectacular and soooo prettyyyyy.
Thankyou to the writers of this drama and to the directors and to everyone involved for this masterpiece ❤️
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Now Aioon is Jealous of Her Own Pregnant Niece?!!?
If Lena & Miu had a daughter = BAM/PafunIf Lookmhee & Sonya had a daughter = OOM/Aioon
Just finished watching FULFILL ep 6 on Netflix & I'm just soooo happy that THAT nuisance of a character, Krit, is now out of the picture. It's too cute though to see Princess Anin's brother (THE LOYAL PIN) and Aokbab's brother (LOVE DESIGN) and wait, is that Khun Rin's dad (DENIED LOVE)!!?🤔
FULFILL ep 7 - Most memorable line: "This is my family now, the family I've always wanted. No matter what happens, I'll take care of everything." Or something to that effect - It's so hard to read subtitles while crying buckets! But THAT was the scene that made me fall in love with Oon all the more❤️❤️❤️
Biggest "I wonder" moment - How on earth was Fun able to do all that running, from the time Nueng's water broke... To that trip to the ICU... In heels! 👠
Best actress: Nueng! So pretty too.
Fearless forecast: FULFILL is so well-written, well-produced, well-acted, and WELL-LOVED, that the next BECWorld project (LingOrm's 3rd series) has pretty big shoes to fill....
NETFLIX made me cry all day and all night! Earlier, I watched a 🇵🇭 movie called UNTIL SHE REMEMBERS and cried. Tonight I watched FULFILL ep 7 and cried. Beautiful, beautiful shows that brought "happy" tears.
COMPLETED WATCHING ALL THE WAY TO EP 8: FULFILL IS A 🏳️🌈 MASTERPIECE. A positive recommendation for every curious soul who wonders how 🏳️🌈 families arebable to flourish in a predominantly straight world.
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The Beautiful Absurdity of Being a Teenager
Absolute Value of Romance is the kind of drama that quietly sneaks up on you and suddenly has you reminiscing about all the silly, embarrassing, and questionable things you did back in high school. It captures that awkward stage of life where every emotion feels bigger than it actually is, every secret feels life altering, and every crush feels like destiny. Watching it often felt like opening an old yearbook and cringing at your younger self, but with a smile on your face.The story follows Yeo Eui Ju, a high school student by day and a BL web novel writer by night. Despite writing numerous novels, none of them have managed to gain much attention. Everything changes when a group of four handsome men moves into a house on her street. Eui Ju watches them on their balcony and, as any highly imaginative teenager might, immediately starts pairing them up in her head. The twist is that these men turn out to be the new teachers at her school: the aloof math prodigy Ga Woo Su, the gentle Korean literature teacher Yun Dong Ju, the warm but clumsy former athlete Jung Gi Jeon, and the mischievous Japanese teacher No Da Ju. At that point, Eui Ju's imagination practically enters overdrive.
Although she initially feels awkward about using her teachers as inspiration, the temptation proves too strong. Soon, she begins writing again, basing her characters directly on the teachers and even lifting some of their dialogue verbatim. It is honestly impressive how far a teenager's imagination can travel with the smallest amount of material. What makes Eui Ju so endearing is how human she feels. Anyone who has spent too much time daydreaming will probably recognize a bit of themselves in her. I certainly did. The only difference is that I was unfortunately not blessed with my own personal F4 of attractive teachers to inspire my fantasies.
To Eui Ju's surprise, her new novel becomes a huge success. Readers flock to it, downloads increase, and comments pour in. Naturally, she keeps writing. Things become even more complicated when Woo Su discovers what she has been doing. Initially confused and slightly weirded out by a genre that is completely foreign to him, he eventually decides to let her continue. As the story progresses, Eui Ju develops feelings for him after several moments where he ends up looking after her.
What I appreciate most is how carefully the drama handles this dynamic. Despite the premise, the relationship never feels like the type that would have people calling the popo. Instead, it is framed as what it really is: a student's innocent first crush on a teacher. From Woo Su's side, the narrative remains remarkably clear. He treats Eui Ju as a student and nothing more. He never encourages her feelings, never reciprocates, and never crosses any boundaries. There were moments when I found myself wondering whether he genuinely had no clue about her crush or whether he simply chose to redirect everything back into a teacher-student relationship. Either way, the drama never loses sight of where the line should be.
Beyond the romance, the drama shines in how accurately it captures the anxieties of adolescence. There are countless moments of secondhand embarrassment, both from Eui Ju's actions and from how much they reminded me of my own school days. The fear of having a secret exposed, the panic that follows every small mistake, the tendency to overthink every interaction, all of it feels surprisingly authentic. While the story never digs especially deep into its emotional arcs, it gives its characters enough depth to feel relatable. The conflicts remain relatively light, but they still resonate because they stem from experiences many people have lived through themselves.
One of the biggest questions I had while watching was how the drama would handle its ending. Teacher-student romance stories often walk a very delicate line, and I genuinely could not imagine an ending that would feel satisfying. Would they force a romance through with a time skip? Would they leave everything unresolved? Would they take the little sister route? Surprisingly, the ending ended up becoming one of the drama's greatest strengths.
Rather than turning Eui Ju's feelings into some grand, life defining romance, the story treats them as what they are: first love, puppy love, a fleeting crush that eventually becomes a cherished memory. It acknowledges the sincerity of her feelings without pretending they are meant to last forever. Most importantly, the teachers never play into those feelings. They continue treating their students as students, allowing Eui Ju to grow naturally and move forward. The resolution feels realistic, mature, and surprisingly touching. The snow symbolism in the final stretch adds just enough emotional weight to make the ending land beautifully.
In the end, Absolute Value of Romance is a cute, lighthearted coming of age drama filled with high school silliness, wild imaginations, and awkward memories. It delivers plenty of secondhand embarrassment, but it is the affectionate kind that makes you laugh while shaking your head at your younger self. More than anything, it reminds you of those fleeting moments from adolescence that seemed so important at the time. Looking back, they may have been ridiculous, but they were also undeniably precious.
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Can't wait for S2!!
This is really a good drama i must say. I really want s2. There’s Chaos, friendship, love, fun, laugh... Overall it will make you to rewatch. I really enjoyed this drama. I hope there will be S2.otherwise i Won't die in peace.Was this review helpful to you?
