This review may contain spoilers
Not sure what to think of it.
When this was planning to come out I wasn't sure if I was gonna watch it. I love Perthsanta but I felt like the series might portray age regression wrong and perhaps even sexualise it. However, when the first episode dropped I got curious and wondered what it would be about, so I decided to watch it anyways.I heavily fuck with the aesthetic going on here, I want to own every outfit and it's just sooo cute. They really did some thinking about the outfits and I think I'm gonna try and DIY some of the outfits!! I love how the kids have the funniest nicknames like one of the kids being called bitcoin.. I mean okkkk. Elsa made me laugh so much she's so pick me hahahah. But she also makes it fun and she seems like a sweet girl.
I heard people mentioning this one social media but they put a LOT of detail in the smallest actions like sun drawing on the walls being one of the things he was told to do to copy.
So one thing I don't really like, gmmtv has a series against the idea of ai BUT still themselves useing for small images?? I don't get why they can't ask their creative team to make a picture. It's not like they don't have money and we alllll know how gmmtv treats their staff and artists... It's irritating and it makes the scene look cheap.
Another point of change might be beter ocd representation next time, but at least they tried to include ocd. I feel like they could've shown some emotional and other sides of ocd instead of the stereotypical 'everything needs to be organised' ocd representation. I loveee Jee but it would've been nice to know a bit more about him.
I love the actor of Jee in general. Jee is played by Kayavine and he is a YouTuber, although he hasn't posted in years and he seems like a very nice and fun person. I wish he got more roles, not specifically in bl main character but as side character. He really pulls off the 'comfort side character' in this series. I love him. I really hope he gets more roles and maybee even as main!
Only after episode 7 it gets interesting, to be honest I almost dropped it because yes, it was fun, BUT I was interested in why Solar regressed into Sun. This is obviously my opinion. I did really find comfort in Sun though.
I'm happy we're getting the side from Pobmek aswell and how he struggles with this. Around episode 8 we really get to see his emotions. Ofcourse he loves Sun but he's obviously tired of having to look after him all the time and some other things. Episode 8 in general was really emotional.
Would I recommend it? Yes, but you kinda HAVE to like this type of bl or it isn't something you'll enjoy. I have to say I like it wayyy more than I originally expected when I saw the trailer.
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Fantastic!
Well-written, elegant, and unpretentious.The writing, pacing, and (above all) the acting deliver some fine entertainment in this drama. But, sadly, we viewers have to wade through some tired tropes and overused plot devices to get to the good stuff. More about that in a moment.
Why is everyone wearing mostly black and white in this drama? Apparently that seems to be the fashion in Korean work culture these days. And you can see why--black stands for simplicity, elegance, formality–and conformity.
On a more granular level, Ju In-A is a monochrome kind of person–acting in deference to the company logic–at least that’s how it seems at first. The corporate culture at Haemu strives to control every aspect of each employee’s behavior, stifling everything unconventional, quirky, and human.
But there’s another side to Ju In A–and we see it most clearly when Noh Ki-jun discovers her somewhat unconventional hobby. This black and white woman begins to turn into a fully fleshed out human being (pun intended).
Shin Hye Sun reveals all the nuances of Ju In-A’s character little by little. Noh Ki-jun is a wonderful partner in this transition. They play off each other better than any two leads I’ve seen in recent dramas.
My only complaint is the succession of banalities that even a drama as excellent as this one seems to feel it necessary to display.
If I see one more prefabricated plot element, where, for example, the ML tries to hook a toy with a mechanical claw for the FL or shows he cares by applying a bandage to a wound you can’t see without a magnifying glass--or someone in a drunken stupor has to be carted home by someone else with a secret crush on that person--I swear I’ll call the cliche police.
Other than that–good work!
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juicy plot twist by ep 3
found the first 2 episodes a bit corny/typical. and then they added such a twist by around episode 3 which is certainly not typical. made the plot so much juicier and different and eventually i was hooked and really loved the further scenes. not used to both leads being quite as beautiful as this, so was really interesting to get into for this.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
vroom vroom
first: weiling and saitharn had the most compelling romance in this entire drama. I need a whole spinoff about weiling and saitharn and their domestic bliss post all of this bullshit.second: i do not ship kee and lalin. the show speedran through their romance so we barely got any cute scenes past the first episode, and then the rest of it was just kee lying about who she is and why she's with her, and we're supposed to believe that's not messed up and ship them anyway? yeah, no thanks. their relationship started under false pretenses and i think kee should have been made to pay for it with more than just the cold shoulder for 1 episode.
third: i hate the camera they used to film this. technically ridiculous choice.
other memorable moments:
at one point, lalin tells kee: "i know you've been through so much pain, but your dad loved you so, so much. how about you only treasure the good memories of him?" this is immediately after they find out that kee's father was abusive to kee's mother, and while i liked kee's response to this, this was just a really stupid thing to have the love interest say.
at another point, lalin gets kidnapped while her wife is doing donuts in the parking lot.
honourable mention: kee showing a woman who has just had a heart attack and is laying in a hospital bed a live feed of her missing daughter being held at gunpoint. what. the. fuck.
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Stylized Shinsengumi Drama That Sacrifices Historical Authenticity
As a historical drama fan, I found this series visually decent but disappointing in terms of historical authenticity. The portrayal of the Shinsengumi, especially the relationship dynamics between the two leads, strongly implies homoerotic undertones connected to the historical practice of shudo among some samurai. While there is historical basis for that aspect, the series leans so heavily into it that it sometimes feels closer to “boys’ love” than a grounded historical drama.The story also skips important early history by starting after the Roshigumi had already formed instead of showing the Shieikan days. Many historical scenes were either omitted, heavily improvised, or only loosely inspired by real events rather than accurately portrayed. Even Serizawa Kamo’s henchmen were just treated as background extras.
Another issue was the aesthetic direction. The traditional chonmage hairstyles were mostly removed in favor of long-haired “anime-style samurai” looks, which made the setting feel less authentic. Although I'm not against an anime hairstyle, it would be great if there were few chonmage hairstyle in the series. The swordfight choreography was also sloppy in several scenes, looked fake and lacked the intention and intensity expected from a Shinsengumi drama.
I also think the series could have benefited from a broader cast dynamic (especially more women casts) instead of focusing almost entirely on emotionally intimate interactions between male characters. At times, the leads seemed written more like romantic gay partners than comrades-in-arms.
Overall, it’s more of a stylized reinterpretation of the Shinsengumi rather than a historically faithful adaptation.
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wish it was longer/had a special episode
Overall: with only 6 25 minute episodes, they needed to take out/reduce screentime of the main conflict as there wasn't enough time to properly develop their relationship. It's still cute with a solid ending. I gave this an indie rating bump. Aired on iQIYI https://www.iq.com/play/1p9j07cqimg?lang=en_us&sh_pltf=4 and seems to also be airing on YouTube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0P6L1kgy3ITUD-fneCgsyV7-PgDeZuRO&si=vb2NTEwOIj-EXVIXContent Warnings: punch, past homophobia, cyber bullying, non con touching
What I Liked
- different personalities
- up front about who they were attracted to/sexual orientation
- noble idiot trope interrupted
- a character sided with the guy he loved and stood up to his own company
Room For Improvement
- the 2 false accusations (in reality it is extremely rare to falsely accuse someone of this)
- rushed romantic development, needed more time to focus on their relationship
- (neutral) quite a lot of far away/camera blocked shots for the kissing and also the interrupted kiss
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This review may contain spoilers
Cringe
Well, it’s something fresh in cdramas, more intense and less innocent. If this would be adapted from novel, it would be novel written by 13y old.. A lot of things do not make sense, story is speed up and interactions are forced (she hang on a rope, empty space under her but she falls on the ground on him??). Although scenario is not bad, modern buildings etc, but this fake ass octopus made me laugh and I felt like watching indian drama, which is pretty lame. And one minute before this fake ass octopus they fall from the structure, falling on heart shaped balloons- how unrealistic and hilarious. I enjoy this as i’m a simple person and i like spicy things, but it’s cringe which is sad as the story has a potential. If you are inmature and haven’t red and watched good written stories you will happy.Was this review helpful to you?
Small Town, Smaller Sparks
"Once Upon A Small Town"
Completed: May 2026
Rating: 8.0/10
Throughout the twelve episodes,I kept wondering how Choo Young Woo ended up in this project? While the drama itself was decent, he was undeniably the stronger actor throughout. His performance as the new village veterinarian brought warmth and sincerity to the series, and at times, his interactions with the animals felt more natural and emotionally convincing than some of the relationships with the people around him.
The female lead,Joy as she is known, unfortunately, did not fully work for me. She only seemed to settle into her character much later in the drama, particularly once the dating phase began where she suddenly became more daring, expressive, and emotionally open. However, instead of strengthening the romance, it created an awkward imbalance because Choo Young Woo’s character often looked completely lost in response to her actions, almost as though he did not know how to react to this new dynamic. Rather than feeling charming, those moments became surprisingly difficult to watch.
That said, the drama still earns an 8.0/10, mainly because of the Male Lead’s performance and the refreshing absence of toxic behavior or unnecessary melodrama. Without those strengths, it probably would have landed closer to a 7.7, since the plot and characters were honestly some of the most underwhelming parts of the series. Ironically, the animals ended up being the true stars of the show, and the Male Lead’s struggles with them added a lot of charm and much-needed comic relief.
The story itself is gentle, slow-paced, and relatively uneventful, but after the emotional rollercoaster that was my last drama "Summer Strike" , marketed like a peaceful small town healing story before delivering thriller-like plot at every turn, "Once Upon A Small Town" felt like a calm recovery watch. Not particularly memorable or thrilling, but comforting enough when all you want is something soft, quiet, and stress-free.
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Beautifully written and emotionally unforgettable.
I finally completed A Tale of Thousand Stars, and wow… this one is such a tearjerker.I’m usually not a fan of slow-burn romance, and honestly, I tend to drop dramas like this halfway through. But the plot was so good and emotionally engaging that I ended up finishing it all the way through... and I’m really glad I did.
What I loved most about this drama is how meaningful the story felt. The characters were written so well, and their growth throughout the story felt natural and realistic, which made everything even more heartfelt.
This drama taught me a lot about life. Not everyone gets a second chance, so we should learn to value the life we have now. Happiness isn’t measured by material things, and sometimes the simplest moments are the ones that matter the most.
I also learned the importance of valuing yourself. Do things because you genuinely want to, not because you feel obligated to please other people. Live for yourself too.
And lastly, this drama reminded me how important forgiveness is... especially learning how to forgive yourself.
Overall, this story was beautiful, emotional, comforting, and unforgettable. Definitely one of the dramas that impacted me deeply and will stay with me for a long time.
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A Female Student Arrives at the Imperial College
0 people found this review helpful
LOVE!
If you go into the episode reviews, I reviewed each one because I freaking loved this drama. It was so perfect, amazing, SO INSANELY PROGRESSIVE AND A huge plot theme was equality. I loved every episode, and this drama never felt like it got stale. The producer and directors are all women, and the cast was so good. I loved everything about this one. Super unique story and every episode had me HOOKED.Was this review helpful to you?
It is really dangerously sweet <3
Watch it and just drown in cuteness and passion of love. Dedicated protective love , gentleman behavior tho we have the usual villians and the blur cutie but he has good intentions and with a backbone. Seriously watch it and have 0 regrets. It is super high on my rewatch list and i never knew japanese verticals will be so good..omgWas this review helpful to you?
Too funny
I had my doubts regarding this but OMG.Daam i cracked so hard while watching this, this is literally too funny, the humour, plot and actors and actresses did great i swear.
They were wholesome and i would definitely come watch it again. They can literally brighten up my whole mood. Plus they all are too cute with their acting.
I absolutely loved them. It's my most fav one now daam why didn't i find this before. It's a literal comedy masterpiece.
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This review may contain spoilers
Mechoori
So far the show, IMO, is well done. The 2 leads are going through their own suffering and connected by a cosmetic product. I really enjoyed ep 8 as they found a way to add the ML former shows that did well, Business Proposal and KPop Demon Hunters. Very cute and a nod to those shows that truly enjoyed watching and will rewatch again. Not sure how this one will end, but if it's like the other kdrama that I enjoy watching, a happy ending for all is expectedWas this review helpful to you?
Innovative zombie movie
Zombie movies/shows always has a similar story which makes me feel bored sometimes but this movie has a slightly more unique concept and got me captivated throughout with 0 boring scenes. A movie that made me say 'Wow, that was a good movie' after the movie ended. The storyline was captivating, had emotional scenes and top tier acting. The only minor weakness is it is a LITTLE lacking in emotional depthWas this review helpful to you?
Not my genre, but surprisingly good
This is a genre I would never watch let alone a Chinese drama. First ever Chinese drama I watched was Go Ahead, and I fell in love with it! And also Tan Song Yun. She's the only Chinese actress I care for, so it would make sense to watch all her dramas. I was hesitant at first, but surprisingly the pace of the drama moved really fast. No dull moments and no annoying characters that usually make me drop a drama. It's a good drama, but not one I rewatch again. For me to completely finish 30 episodes of this kind of genre is considered good enough of a drama.Was this review helpful to you?
