More lakorn than BL
If you're looking the FortPeat dynamic, it's not here. Fort plays his usual devoted heroic savior with his devastating smile. Peat is less hystrionic than usual but still hasn't overcome his tendency to act cute instead being cute. That being said it was kind of nice to see them in a straight drama. It would've been nice if they stepped out of their usual roles, and I was kind of hoping that would happen, but they reverted in the end.This series reminded me much more of a lakorn than your usual BL/GL drama. It's a complicated story of feuding families, plots upon plots, backstabbing, betrayal and obsession.
The only thing BL/GL about it is the main relationship is M/M and the secondary couple is F/F. There are 1 or 2 token sensual scenes, but that was fine with me because I don't need overt sex to enjoy a drama. To quote another series, a little bit of kissing is fine.
The production value was good. The action sequences were well done. The background music was not as annoyingly inappropriate as usual.
Everything is mostly wrapped up in episode 10. The special episode is marshmallow fluff.
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Back To The Future--But More Heartwarming
I finally finished this with my sister and we LOVED it.I had wondered if the high rating was deserving, and I think it is.
It is certainly unique as far as Kdramas go; the pacing and plot does not feel particularly tropey or cliche in the typical Kdrama way, with a really unique main character setup since the the ML and his dad (who I guess is technically the 2ML) are basically equal parts the ML. We see more of the internal world of Eun Gyeol (the ML), but it's Ha Lee Chan that this story revolves around, and he is ultimately the main focal point.
It was SUCH an endearing premise and so beautifully executed. My sister and I loved how the ML basically acted as the parent his parents never had, and his presence in their past (paired with the love he shows them) changes all of their futures in such cool ways.
By going to the past, Eun Gyeol helped his parents deepen their connection to those around them and build lasting community built on found family, compassion, thoughtfulness, self-sacrifice and love. He opened up a new world for both of them out of the fullness of love they had given him that he gave back to them when they needed it most.
I also love the theme of a child learning compassion and empathy for their parents' story (this is true for the ML and FL). After traveling to his parents' past, Eun Gyeol has such a different perspective of the imperfect parents he already loved to pieces, and I just loved how much he cried over them and their hardships, struggles, and pain. (It was refreshing to see the ML cry so often, and over things completely unrelated to romance. He now might be one of my favorite MLs of all time.) And, ironically, while Eun Gyeol parents his parents, haha, he also gets to have a second childhood, learning how to let go, let loose, have fun and do what he loves. For the first time, he also allows himself to play, fall in love and be a kid. (And he gets to do that with his very own dad while they are the same age. Eun Gyeol is a fussy mother hen, though, and he drives Lee Chan bonkers in the most adorable ways. I love that Lee Chan can also eventually see the place of deep care his over-protectiveness comes from; that was a lovely touch).
Some didn't like the ending, as they say it was a cop out and gave the wrong message about what was important. I disagree. The way my sister and I saw it was that the changed future shows the results of the love and care Eun Gyeol gave his parents in the past that changed their stories and life trajectories (for the better). He helped catalyze their growth and launched them into a more secure, grounded, flourishing independence and confidence. Because of him, they had more tools, stronger relationships, and realizations that allowed them to grow into a more stable flourishing. A byproduct was that this allowed them to not NEED Eun Gyeol in the same unhealthy way they needed him before he went to the past, and which gave him the freedom and independence he always craved. By selflessly helping his parents, he helped himself.
Another thing I loved is that all the characters in the past learned some form of sign language to draw Cheong Ah into their world and help her belong. As a result, I think it ended up being a crucial part of the main characters' stories changing in the future. And while Eun Gyeol's relationship with his dad in the past is just adorable and hilarious, Eun Gyeol's relationship with his mom is precious--he gives her a voice, and fights for her to have the dignity of a human and the quality of life of a beloved daughter. His aggressive, unabashed protection of her was just brilliantly and beautifully showcased. Eun Gyeol displays a man at his best--when he's wielding his strength to fight for the dignity and flourishing of those unable to fight for themselves.
It's also nostalgic in a variety of ways because of when it takes place; the 90's setting gives it a slight flavor of Reply 1988 which had such a deeply aching, nostalgic quality to it (the last episode of that drama tore me into little pieces and left me in a puddle). Both dramas do such a great job capturing the lovely, fleeting beauty of youth, and the hope, dreams and joy that accompany it. Beautiful memories are forged in that time of life, and this is one of the dramas that capture some of the quality of what it might feel like to relive those memories.
I kind of wish Episode 16 wasn't so darn emotional (it packs a punch), but it's a beautiful ending, and I think they wrapped up everything very well. The way they filmed some of the last scenes reminded me of the way they retroactively brought Hayden Christensen to be Anakin Skywalker's ghost in Return of the Jedi instead of the old dude that originally played Darth Vader (and don't worry, I'm not saying anyone dies). You'll know what I mean when you see the end.
The cast was awesome, but Choi Hyun Wook was so darn stinkin' cute. He was hilarious, and fit the role to a T. He just steals your heart. This is also by far my favorite drama with Ryeoun, too. He acted his heart out, and I love his deep, soft, velvety voice. Neither ML stole the limelight, but together, they stole the screen. Cheong Ah was a close second in cuteness, and she did a fabulous job with just her expressions and eyes.
Such a heartfelt, poignant, powerful, and beautiful watch. Highly recommend!
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BATTLE ROYALE 2: REQUIEM FINALLY ANSWERS ONE HARD-HITTING QUESTION: what if movies were bad?
Obvious spoilers ahead. I tried to avoid anything major in regards to character deaths or plot beats. However, I do mention a specific scene and what happens in it, as well as what happens in the first ~20 minutes. Read at your own risk...? Is that how that saying goes?———————
I first watched this movie roughly three months ago. I have not rewatched it a single time. Despite this, I find I have more to say about it than I did back then. The longer I think about this film, the longer my criticisms become. Because this film is just Remarkably bad. I really struggle to understand how this happened. This'll mostly just be a word vomit of criticism because I need to get this out.
At first glance, the plot doesn't seem that bad. In fact, it's almost compelling! A movie taking place after the first movie that has the protagonists of the last movie become terrorists that the government wants to hunt down could be interesting, but this film really fumbles it. I'm not usually one to judge logic in an unrealistic film (my favorite movies become incredibly stupid if you think about the logic for more than a few seconds) but Wow this was really stupid! Every character was really stupid and the plot was really stupid!! There's a rule they implement at the beginning that just... makes no sense. I imagine it's trying to say something about how governments needlessly kill their own people, including children, in war? But it's a sloppy way to deliver that message, and takes away any suspense or emotional weight that the character deaths could've otherwise had.
On that topic, the pacing in this film is terrible. Honestly, it's difficult to talk about the pacing because I have never seen a film with pacing this terrible. I'm genuinely at a loss for words and I do not understand how you can mess up while directing THIS terribly. Nothing happens in the first 30 minutes, then there's a headache inducing action scene that should hold emotional weight but just doesn't. This continues to happen the entire movie, with long strings of really boring scenes that try to build characters (but fail) and then bursts of jarring, confusing and most importantly, meaningless action. Even when important things Are happening, it feels like nothing is happening.
While on the topic of characters, the characters are so poorly fleshed out that when they inevitably die, you feel nothing. This is especially upsetting when it comes to the one character that had potential, AKA the daughter of Kitano's character in the first movie. The beginning of the movie is spent focused on her and trying to build her up, but after that, they sideline her and focus on... some classmate of hers that has an incredibly boring backstory and motivation. Okay. They try to give her more weight later on but once again, it falls flat. Another character they squander is actually the protagonist of the original movie, Nanahara. I won't go into too much detail as to not spoil anything too hard, but Nanahara goes from a sweet and compelling character in the first movie to a washed-up failure of a revolutionary in the sequel. I've never seen a sequel ruin a character quite like this film does with him, he is completely unlikeable and as per usual for this movie, stupid.
Now, as much as I cannot stand this movie, I do appreciate the attempt at commentary. Note the use of the word "attempt", because while on the surface I agree with the messaging on the United States, imperialism, nuclear warfare and resistance, it is handled just as poorly as every other aspect of the film. The first Battle Royale's commentary is incredibly tactful and effective, whereas this one simply Tells you "THIS IS ABOUT THE UNITED STATES!!! DO YOU GET IT!!!!" while barely showing how. I will not give a terribly handled movie props for having a message I agree with. I would've given it its flowers had they handled it even marginally better, but they didn't.
Even my favorite part of the movie, that being Takeuchi Riki's insane performance, shouldn't have been part of it. It was incredibly entertaining and funny but that doesn't fit what the movie is trying to be at all. I'm glad he was part of it though, because its a glimmer of "so-bad-its-kino" comedy in an otherwise unbearably stupid and boring film.
The movie isn't all bad though! There's a scene where Takeshi Kitano asks his teenage daughter if he should kill himself that's probably supposed to be emotional but instead comes off incredibly humorous. It's also not relevant at all to the story! 10/10, no notes. it's beautiful.
If you want a movie like Battle Royale with compelling characters and good directing, don't watch this. If you like war movies and want hard-hitting anti-US government, imperialism and war commentary, still don't watch this! There are so many movies that handle these topics with more tact and grace that you could watch instead. there's no reason to watch this unless you're a Kinji Fukasaku completionist, and even then this shouldn't count because he only directed One scene in it before his death. It's sloppy, terribly paced and drawn out. Not worth your time in the slightest. Kenta Fukasaku got what he wished for with outrage for the sequel, but probably not for the reason he wanted. Instead of generating outrage for the messaging, he generated outrage for how boring it was! So maybe he should've been a little more specific with his wishes...
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Excellent balance of Romance + Thriller, and Amazing acting by the 2 Male Leads
Crime dramas are usually not my go-to, but when the cast includes Jin Bo Ran and Qin Jun Jie, I have got to check it out. And I am glad I did, because they are both simply amazing. If you are a fan, you need to watch “Sunsets Secrets Regrets”.This drama is one of the rare crime dramas that balances romance and crime/thriller really well. Most of the time, romance is a side plot in this genre, but here, it is equally important. The plot is intriguing and I was kept on my seat throughout the drama. I personally don’t find Jin Bo Ran’s character, Jiang Han Sheng, too stalkerish. Well, I might be hypnotized by how hot Jing Bo Ran is in this drama, and I’ve never found him hot until now. The villain is equally amazing in his creepiness and a little over-the-topness. He’s charismatic and crazy, and has such a screen presence. However, it did take me some time to get used to the timeline changes in the early episodes. “Sunsets Secrets Regrets” does not shy away from violence, and there’s quite a bit. Some scenes are hard to watch, and as I was binge-watching, I had to take a little break and not watch too many episodes at once. It was that intense, especially when I saw what Jiang Han Sheng had gone through.
To me, the best part of the drama is seeing how amazing Jing Bo Ran and Qin June Jie are. Their characters are polar opposites, and their acting are as well. It was amazing to watch how Jin Bo Ran changes so swiftly from being intense and feral, and then looking lovingly at his wife. The subtle facial expressions and then the explosive intense burst of emotions are quite a sight to behold. In contrast to that, Qin Jun Jie who exudes this playboy sexiness. He’s loud and expressive, fun and carefree. Both suffer greatly in this drama and their cries pierce through my hearts. On the other hand, it took me a while to get into Elvira Cai’s acting. I love her in “Fake it Till You Make It” but I am not sure if she fits this role. It could also be her character that is making it difficult to like her. But towards the end, I warm up to her and especially like some of the more emotional scenes. Unfortunately, she couldn’t quite match up to her two male co-stars, who are just too excellent.
One other thing that bugs me is the makeup in this drama. Both Elvira Cai and Jing Bo Ran have thick white foundations. I just can’t help but stare at their gorgeous faces and shake my head. At times, music is quite loud and I couldn’t quite hear what they said. I do appreciate that the voices are not dubbed (at least I don’t think they are) as it would be a disservice to so many veterans here.
I almost forgot to mention this… I LOVE the bond between Jiang Han Sheng and Teacher Wang. They are so fun together and veteran actor, Du Yuan, cracks me up big time. It’s lovely to see a different side of Jiang Han Sheng when he’s with his teacher. Teacher Wang is more than a teacher at work, but also a love and relationship guru! Jiang Han Sheng still has a lot to learn from him.
I had a great (but stressful) time watching “Sunsets Secrets Regrets”. I recommend this to fans of the two male leads, and romance lovers who hesitate to watch crime dramas because most have lackluster romance. The love triangle here is well-written (and I love both guys). If you hesitate to watch because of the romance, don’t worry. It’s not a cheesy romance, but a mature and supportive one that works well with the greater plot. There are still elements that bug me, thus I am not giving this a super high rating.
Completed: 5/24/2026 Review #689
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Story: quick, patchy, disappointingActing/Cast: neither appealing nor unappealing
Music: neither added nor detracted from the show
Rewatch value: none
Overall: works as a time killer while waiting for an appointment
This is another one of those stories where the ML decides he "loves" the FL because he discovers that she was his 30 second crush as a child. So it's a no for me. Even putting that aside, there is no reason for the relationship, no substance, no point. The story just sort of skipped from scene to scene as if checking the boxes from a 12-year-old's "magical romance must-haves" list. The only thing that stood out to me during the last 80ish minutes was the production design. It was incredibly bright and colorful and seemed quite out of place when all other aspects of the show matched what I would expect from a quick, low-budget flick. I think that if that aspect had matched the blandness of the rest of the production, I wouldn't have made it past 5 minutes.
*edit- 4 days later and I can't remember a thing about this one anymore*
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Slow burn but good drama
While I don't write many reviews, this drama is one of only five that kept me hooked and interested in every episode. I appreciate the FL's strength, intelligence, and forgiving nature. I also admire the ML's ability to be both forceful yet tender towards his woman. The second ML was outstanding; despite his condition, he demonstrated immense willpower, though he sometimes appeared arrogant, refusing to succumb to his limitations. Any drama that makes me cry as deeply as the lead characters is a truly worthwhile watch.Was this review helpful to you?
Above average, but still just OK
This is a watchable drama, but definitely nothing new. I’ve seen C dramas similar to this. There was some fun moments, but also some frustrating moments that made me question why I was watching it.The good
The acting is the best part of the story. Everyone did a pretty good job and fit the role they were given pretty well. The webtoon story was interesting though not necessarily original since there are a lot of Webtoon themed kdramas out there that are quite similar. Of course, very attractive men as usual.
The bad
There were a lot of draggy parts and a lot of parts that made me question why I was watching this. The main female lead was very delusional in a lot of ways and her not wanting to live in the real world when it comes to dating almost got a little ridiculous towards the end. They dragged the main romance piece out far too long. It became pretty typical a lot of the other K dramas. I typically lean more towards watching C drama romances than K drama romances. The K dramas tend to do better at fantasy, sci-fi, and horror for me.
If this is your kind of drama though, cheesy romance then you may like this one. It was an easy watch and pass the time for me. I’d recommend watching it for yourself to make your own judgment on it.
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A Great Premise Haunted by Its Own Inconsistencies
Phantom Lawyer started off strong with an emotional and intriguing premise: a lawyer who can see ghosts connected to mysterious talismans left behind by a shaman. The early episodes were genuinely moving, with heartbreaking stories, unresolved regrets, and just enough supernatural mystery to keep me invested.Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, the series lost emotional momentum.
The biggest issue for me was the worldbuilding. The show wanted the mythology to feel deep and meaningful, but the rules surrounding the ghosts, possession, and talismans became increasingly inconsistent. We’re initially led to believe the main character is somehow “special” because he can see ghosts, only to later discover it’s mostly tied to incense left behind by the former tenant. Which immediately raises the question: if anyone can burn the incense, then what actually makes him unique?
The talisman setup also started to fall apart under scrutiny. There were dozens of talismans on the wall, each supposedly connected to a dead person drawn there by regret, yet ghosts conveniently appeared one at a time in neat storytelling order. Some had died recently, others decades ago, and the show never properly explains why certain spirits appear when they do. Instead of the mythology getting richer, it began feeling more like a weekly emotional formula.
The possession rules were another frustration. Early on, the show establishes clear conditions for ghosts taking over bodies, but later certain characters, especially the ML’s father, seem able to bend or ignore those rules whenever the plot requires it.
Emotionally, the drama also started running out of steam. By the time the story reached the father arc near the end, I found myself fast-forwarding through scenes that should have been the emotional climax of the series. The romance didn’t help much either. It never fully landed for me, and at one point I found myself more invested in the second male lead.
That said, the drama isn’t bad at all. Yoo Yeon-seok carries a lot of the show with charm and sincerity, and there are genuinely touching moments throughout. The premise itself is excellent. I just wish the writers had committed to deeper mythology, clearer supernatural logic, and stronger emotional escalation.
In the end, Phantom Lawyer felt less like a deeply haunting supernatural drama and more like a cozy emotional procedural that occasionally hints at greatness without ever fully reaching it.
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this is a must watch!!
Anything that has Park Hyung Sik will be good! He's such a phenomenal actor. Storyline is also good. There were some parts where I felt they dragged on for a bit so I don't think this drama needed 16 episodes... maybe 14 would have been good. The 2nd leads were entertaining to watch as well. A lot of funny moments in this series. I am relieved that Park Hyung Sik's character doesn't make amends with this family at the end. I like how they left it as him still needing to heal from the past trauma rather than having everyone end up being all happy together despite what they had gone through.Was this review helpful to you?
It was indeed “ A Splendid Match”
The whole point of this drama was the “splendid match” between a young, feisty, intelligent girl forced to grow up too quickly and an older man who is calm, clever, and incredibly cunning. The drama gave us exactly what it said it would from the title.From the romance and masterful plotting to the epic battle scenes and the young, brilliant emperor, everything was amazing. This is officially my favorite drama after The Untamed. It’s been a long time since I connected this deeply with a drama.
I have rewatched it so many times, I love every minute of it, I love YeXian character, WINWINs acting blew me away especially towards the end when he owned his character. Oh Cisha expressions on his face was just perfect. I am a sucker for people that act with their eyes, you can see pain, joy, sadness just from looking at their faces and for someone that was playing a calmer man, he nailed his role. That was a 100/10.
Overall the drama gave me what I wanted entertainment, I was entertained and that is all that matters.
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So many plot holes!
I wanted this to be better! It started out good but it seemed like the producers were working with a script that was missing pages.There wasn't very good chemistry between the actors, which was a shame, because I think both were talented; I just never got the vibe they clicked with each other.
That said, it was beautiful scenery! The setting was gorgeous and I would love to visit if I could.
I would like to see more LGBTQ productions with settings like the Steppes, possibly among the Uhgyurs or other ethnic groups in China, because each group has unique norms regarding sexual orientation.
This is the first BL I have ever given a rating under a 7.
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Just, not my cup of tea
The show had all the ingredients to be something emotionally intense and genuinely memorable, but it completely wasted its potential. A toxic relationship in itself is not a bad premise at all — some of the best dramas are built around complicated, unhealthy, or emotionally destructive relationships. The problem is that this series never actually does anything interesting with that idea. Instead of feeling layered, emotional, or psychologically compelling, it ends up feeling painfully empty and exhausting to sit through.The biggest issue is how unbelievably slow and uneventful the story is. It feels like the entire plot could have been condensed into one or two episodes without losing anything important. Scene after scene passes by with very little progression, and instead of building tension or emotional depth, the show just repeats the same dynamics over and over again. It constantly feels like it’s leading toward some kind of breakthrough, confrontation, or revelation, but nothing ever really happens. By the time the final episode ends, it barely feels like the characters or their relationship evolved at all.
The characters themselves are also incredibly flat. One of them spends most of the show being cold, emotionally unavailable, and unnecessarily cruel, while the other just drifts around looking defeated and emotionally numb. Instead of creating an interesting contrast, their personalities quickly become repetitive and frustrating. The show gives almost no insight into who they really are beyond these surface-level traits. You never fully understand what draws them together, why they stay in such an unhealthy relationship, or what emotional needs they fulfill for each other. Because of that, it becomes difficult to feel invested in them as people.
What makes the experience even more disappointing is that the show occasionally hints at deeper themes or emotional complexity, almost as if it’s about to seriously explore trauma, dependency, loneliness, or emotional manipulation. There are moments where it seems like the relationship is finally going to be examined in a meaningful or even shocking way, but the series always pulls back before doing anything substantial. It avoids emotional honesty in favor of endless silence, vague interactions, and repetitive miscommunication. Instead of tension feeling intentional or meaningful, it just becomes frustrating and emotionally draining to watch.
There’s also very little character development throughout the series. By the end, the characters don’t feel significantly different from who they were in the beginning. The final episode tries to imply some kind of emotional resolution or happiness between them, but because the communication between the characters is so poor and the writing is so vague, it’s hard to even tell what changed or why it matters. The story never earns its emotional payoff because it never properly builds toward one.
The acting is another mixed aspect of the show. One actor clearly gives a much stronger performance than the other, which makes the imbalance noticeable in emotional scenes. Still, it’s hard to blame the cast entirely because the script gives them very little material to work with. Most conversations are minimal, repetitive, or emotionally flat, so even talented actors would struggle to create depth from it.
To the show’s credit, it does have a few strong qualities. The cinematography is genuinely beautiful at times, and some of the intimate scenes are filmed in a very natural and emotionally soft way. The actors also have decent chemistry, which is probably the main reason the relationship remains somewhat believable despite the weak writing. There’s even a quiet, melancholic atmosphere throughout the series that could have worked really well if the story had more substance behind it.
But in the end, good visuals and chemistry aren’t enough to carry a story that feels this hollow. The series becomes an endless cycle of awkward silence, frustrating misunderstandings, emotional detachment, and scenes that go nowhere. Rather than feeling emotionally profound or realistic, it just feels empty, repetitive, and unsatisfying. Overall, it’s a frustrating watch that mistakes slowness and silence for emotional depth, and despite its potential, it never becomes as meaningful or compelling as it clearly wants to be.
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Must watch for great comedic lines and acting
I am shocked by the low rating for this BL!!! This is probably one of my FAVOURITE BLs!!! I real love the MLs and the 2nd MLs on this show! The story line is really good. The humour and dialect is entertaining. Hands down in my top 3 BLs if not my #1 favourite one! I love how the ending wraps up and hope they have a second season!!! I know they have one for the 2 MLs and I watched that one but it wasn't as good as this one.Was this review helpful to you?
No. Just No. Skip this if you can
This BL made me cringe so bad!! It's not even a cute love story, just straight up cringy. The MLs also didn't have any chemistry and seemed awkward with each other which made it even harder to watch. No redeeming qualities about this BL. There are far better BLs than this one eg. Semantic error and unintentional love story just to name a couple.Was this review helpful to you?
Came for Tian Xi Wei, Stayed for the Comedy
Honestly, this is one of those dramas I started mainly because of Tian Xi Wei, and I’m glad I did. The first three episodes were seriously so entertaining and instantly pulled me in. I do wish Xi Wei had more screen time, but I’m still really happy seeing her take on a rookie police officer role.What made the drama especially enjoyable for me was the humor. Zhang Yi Ang is the type of character you can never fully take seriously because he’s naturally comedic, and the same goes for the entire team. Even the criminals somehow added to the comedy. I’m usually not very interested in crime-focused plots, but this one managed to keep me entertained throughout, even though I wish the storyline had been a little more gripping at times.
When it comes to the cast, I’m only familiar with Tian Xi Wei and Lawrence Wang, who I remember as Si Ming from *Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms*. Still, you can easily tell the cast is filled with experienced actors. I’m especially glad Tian Xi Wei stepped outside her usual roles and tried something more unconventional. Li Qian had such a cool and refreshing vibe because of her performance.
The OSTs also deserve praise because they fit the drama’s dark comedy atmosphere perfectly. Everything felt chaotic in a fun way, which honestly made the experience even better. It’s understandable why the drama is getting attention on local TV, even if it isn’t receiving the same level of popularity on MDL. Personally, I think a 7.3 rating is way too low for a drama this enjoyable, though I can see how this kind of genre may not appeal to everyone.
I probably wouldn’t fully rewatch the entire drama, but I’d definitely revisit a lot of specific scenes because the comedy here was genuinely gold.
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