Reviews

hard to take seriously

I tried to like this drama but had a hard time taking anything about it seriously. To be fair to other viewers who liked it, dramas that are about shamans do not appeal to me. I guess I don’t fully understand the whole shaman ‘lore’ - whenever I watch a drama that heavily relies on shamans, their meaning and purpose have very weak roots to begin with. I know it involves the spirit world, but it seems to me that, depending on the writer, anything goes in this genre, that’s why I can’t take shaman genre’s story line seriously.

I watched Head over Heels because of the very talented Choo Young Woo. This is the 5th drama of his I’ve watched and it very nicely showcases his wide range and I was not disappointed with his acting here. He was able to shift characters smoothly making it easy to know when he was Gueyon U (with a depressed flat affect) or Bong Su (who was mean, murderous, and abrasive for most of his arc).

My favorite character CYW has played so far is the carefree storyteller, Chen Seung Hwi, in The Tale of Lady Ok, followed by Dr Yang Jae Won in Trauma Code - both excellent dramas…, but I digress.

Back to HOH -
Cho Yi-hyun’s Sung-ah as a High Schooler by day - Shaman by night was very likable and truly well acted. Cha Kang Yoon’s Ju Hu, the loyal friend (with a late and misplaced confession to Sung-ah) to both Sung-ah and Gueyon U was great even if a little cringy a time or two.
The other Shamans - I can’t critique them because I was confused half the time.
I do agree with another reviewer, the lack of accountability for grevious acts was disappointing. Maybe that’s part of the Shaman ‘lore’.

I try my best to take a story as it’s presented and rarely rate a drama poorly just because I didn’t like it. I’m writing a review this time because, beyond the shaman theme, I just could not follow the story. I wonder how many other viewers felt the same way. It seemed there were too many elements and motives of the various characters to follow that the story of the two main leads kept getting lost- so much so that it made the drama was too long.

I did like the budding romance, and I’m aware they needed to figure out issues but, again, a lot of the sub-stories at times were unnecessary interruptions to its progression.

I’m neutral on the music, it neither added or subtracted from the story itself. Nothing stood out to me. 75% of the time I’ll download and listen to OSTs at least once, but don’t feel compelled this time.

I personally would not recommend this drama.

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An average but likable drama

I gave My Boss a try because I like the male lead actor. I’ve seen some of his previous dramas, including Love Between Lines, and I really like both his acting and his appearance.
The ML's character has a great sense of style, carries himself well, and truly looks like a lawyer. His comic timing is also quite good—I really enjoyed the humorous scenes.
I also liked one of his assistants, Bao Rui. He is quite funny and entertaining. In fact, I liked all three of his assistants—Bao Rui and the other two as well. The other two, as a couple, have good chemistry and look really cute together.
I also liked the ML’s best friend, Wu Jun, who is also his business partner. He is quite funny and sweet. I especially liked the way he was emotionally invested in the female lead’s sister, as he truly loved her.
As for the FL, initially she was quite enjoyable to watch. She was cute, funny, and expressive. Also i liked how eager she was to learn from her boss and improve herself. She seemed like a very dedicated employee who was genuinely willing to learn new things.
Another interesting character is the male lead’s mother. She is quite funny, and I loved watching her on screen.
Even the negative character—the woman who became a partner in the ML’s company and also liked him—was well portrayed. She was jealous of the female lead and created problems for her. Her acting was very convincing; she really made me dislike her, which means she did a great job in her role.
The female lead’s sister also stood out to me. She looks quite mature, is very beautiful, and truly looks like a lawyer.
Now, coming to the things I didn’t like—initially, the ML’s character was quite dominating and rude. He was quite torturing the FL. He made her work overtime, and even when she went back to home, he expected her to cook for him twice and clean the house as well. He was always threatening her with things like her year-end bonus and other consequences. It honestly felt like torture, and it was disheartening to watch the FL being overworked and treated that way.
The male lead is shown as very professional, but treating employees like this is the complete opposite of being professional. Also, whenever he had personal issues—whether it was insomnia or later his problems with the female lead— he would take out his anger on his assistants. That was not professional at all.
The FL's character, especially in the initial episodes, was portrayed as extremely kind, cute although extremely naive. Even though she was a rookie lawyer, she was quite sincere in her work. I like how dedicated she was towards her work and how eager she was to learn from her boss.
However, her styling throughout the drama was quite disappointing. Her dress sense was very poor, and she hardly dressed formally, even in the office. I understand that she was a struggling, rookie lawyer and maybe the director wanted to show that, but you don’t need expensive outfits to look professional. She often wore jeans and baggy clothes, which didn’t make her look like a lawyer at all. She didn’t appear professional most of the time. Only once or twice did she dress properly, like when she borrowed her sister’s clothes to meet her parents. Her hairstyle was also not well done throughout the drama.
Up until the ML confessed his feelings, her character was enjoyable to watch. But after the confession, it felt like she lost all her expressions and liveliness. Even though she accepted his feelings, the romance that followed felt very bland. It seemed like she wasn’t really into the male lead and didn’t look happy at all.
I’m not sure if this was the director’s choice to show her becoming more mature, but maturity doesn’t mean removing all liveliness from a character. Or maybe the actress wasn’t able to portray romantic emotions effectively. It was quite disheartening to see that most of the effort in the relationship came only from the male lead. The FL didn’t seem to reciprocate properly. Her smiles and expressions didn’t reflect someone who is in love. Instead, she often looked tired or unwell because of her lack of expression.
Both the male and female leads have flaws in their characters. I understand that the female lead wanted to become a good lawyer and make a name for herself in the industry. However, she was aware that the male lead was significantly older than her. If she didn’t have the time or willingness to put effort into the relationship, she probably shouldn’t have accepted his confession in the first place. It might have been better for her to choose someone closer to her age. While I can understand her perspective, it was still disheartening to watch her not properly reciprocate his love.
As for the ML, even though his intentions were to protect her and help her grow into a successful lawyer, some of his actions created problems for her. Repeatedly implying or telling others that she was his GF made her work life more difficult. This eventually led to her changing companies. Even then, when he openly acknowledged their relationship, people started seeing her only as his GF rather than as an individual.
I understand that his intentions were good—he wanted to support and protect her—but this was exactly what she didn’t want. She wanted to succeed on her own and build her identity as a lawyer. His behavior sometimes made her feel inferior, as if she wasn’t capable on her own. It also didn’t help that others labeled her as a “bimbo” or just an eye candy who was successful only because she was dating the boss. That’s why she wanted to prove herself independently, which is completely valid. I think he should have understood this earlier, but I’m glad that eventually he did understand what she truly wanted.
I didn’t like how the ML’s other admirer—the woman who later became a partner in the company and had one-sided feelings for him—was handled. She treated the female lead very badly, yet she left without facing any real consequences. She didn’t even properly apologize, which was the least she could have done. That was quite frustrating to watch.
As for the second ML, Wu Jun, I generally liked his character throughout the drama. However, this was the only time I disagreed with his actions. In the name of mediating between the main ML and that female lawyer, he let her go without consequences. As the ML pointed out, it would have been appropriate to involve the police, but Wu Jun seemed more concerned about her career. At the same time, the female lead’s career could have been seriously damaged if she hadn’t won the case, especially since that woman had tampered with crucial evidence. Being neutral in such situations is not always right—sometimes you have to stand for what is fair and just. I really hoped that the female lawyer would face consequences for her unprofessional and toxic behavior. At the very least, she should have been removed from the company or resigned on her own. But nothing like that happened. Instead, she simply went to the UK for further studies. It felt unsatisfying, especially because it suggests that she might return later and still become a partner in the company. Although this wasn’t shown, the last update about her was just that she was leaving for the UK.
Regarding the ending, I’ve noticed this pattern in many K and C-dramas: the story is stretched until the second-to-last episode, and then everything is rushed in the final episode. This makes the ending feel abrupt and incomplete. Only a few dramas truly feel like they have a satisfying and well-rounded conclusion. In this case, the ending felt unsatisfactory. It was shown that the FL still wanted to become a partner in the ML’s company, and earlier she had mentioned needing about five years to achieve that goal. However, the time skip shown was too short. The child shown in the final episode belonged to the second lead, and the main couple didn’t even properly get married on screen. If the drama shows proposals and hints at marriage—like teasing the male lead by calling him her husband—then it should also show the actual wedding. Otherwise, it feels incomplete. The time skip should have been longer, and they could have shown her becoming a partner first, followed by their proper marriage. Even the wedding scene shown in the last episode felt rushed and underwhelming. The bride and groom didn’t even look like they were getting married—they were dressed casually, and there was no proper ceremony or ring exchange shown.
Overall, the ending lacked depth and closure. A longer time skip and a proper wedding would have made it much more fulfilling, showing both leads as successful in their careers and happily married.
Overall, the drama is watchable, likable and funny. However, as I mentioned, there are several aspects that could have been handled better, which would have made the drama much more satisfying.

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Heard many good news about this. Finally decided to watch it.

The story follows Ding Qi (DQ), a brilliant detective at the Hua’ao City Police Department. After falling into a lake during his university years, he gains a unique supernatural ability: he can relive the same day up to five times before time finally moves forward at midnight.

These are not infinite loops—they occur unpredictably, with no fixed pattern. Each time the day resets, everyone loses their memories of previous iterations, except for a select few known as “Time Cycle Perceivers.”

At first, DQ uses his ability in chaotic and personal ways—fighting back against bullies or gaining small advantages. But over time, instead of using the power for selfish reasons—like gambling or academic cheating—he began to change.

He gradually learns to use the first four loops to gather information, and the fifth loop to act—stepping in to stop small injustices: catching pickpockets on buses, preventing accidents, helping strangers. These early experiences, filled with confusion, trial, and moral reflection, shaped him. That ultimately led him to one decision: join the Criminal Investigation Bureau to dedicate his ability to serving the public.

The story intensifies with a case involving MOMA, a cutting-edge genetic biotechnology organization where executives begin dying under suspicious circumstances. DQ is assigned to protect the CEO, Mo Yuan Zhi (YZ).

But things take a dark turn when YZ dies in a sudden explosion.
Then—DQ wakes up.

It’s the same day.

It’s a loop day.
As DQ investigates further, he begins to suspect something terrifying: the killer might also be a Time Cycle Perceiver.

Now, it’s not just about solving the case. It’s a battle across time—where every loop brings new risks, new traps, and fewer chances to get it right.

So, how did everything turn out in the end?
Who will emerge victorious by the fifth day?

And the biggest question of all:
Who are the other Time Cycle Perceivers?

That's pretty much the story without giving anymore spoilers.

What I like:
+ The story is very unique, very different than any other time-loop story
+ Very intense story leave no room for bored

What I don't like:
- A little far fetch story too crazy for our imagination

Overall for you who love the time loop concept & sci-fi you gonna find this drama very interesting.

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My thoughts after Episode 21

-Super action-packed with multiple subplots and strong political rivalry, I’m genuinely enjoying it so far.
-Li Yun Rui looks amazing as always, and I feel he will have a major role as we move into the second half of the drama.
-Li Ce (played by Li Xiao Qian) adds a fun tone to the episodes; one can’t help but root for him.
-To those asking about the intimacy between the main lead, it is minimal considering the age gap and feels more symbolic- like the sword symbolism in Episode 20.
-I haven’t watched Princess Agents, but personally, I don’t find any problem relating to or understanding the story.
-The show keeps getting better with each episode. The editing can be a little tacky, I understand, and that might irk some viewers.
-You don’t necessarily need to watch Princess Agents; the first two episodes help, but you can also just read a summary on Reddit and jump in.
-Chu Qiao, our female lead, is doing a decent job as well, not exactly the best with few expressions, but a decent one indeed.
My rating so far would be 8.5
P.S. Really excited to see how the characters evolve from here!

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Life is unfair

This series has a message it wants to ram home, which is mainly directed at women.

It’s this: you should always be able to take care of yourself because you never know what might happen, who might try to undermine you, or even betray you. Life is unfair.

The FL learns in the first episode that her husband has been having a long term affair with a woman who’s now pregnant, who wants to replace her as her husband’s wife. The husband seems perfectly happy to let this happen.

So, Miyu, the FL, a woman with no education or work experience, divorces him and goes looking for an entry level job.

At this point, some Asian dramas like to imply that if the female lead (it’s always the female) grits her teeth, endures her burdens with grace and fortitude, all will turn out for the best. Every once in a while, one character or another pounds this theme home–in case the viewers have missed it.

The FL finds work at the elegant Purong Hotel, where she’s subject to daily indignities, mild bullying, and other unfair treatment. Another theme of this series is how the lower level employees of the hotel are blamed for everything that goes wrong. And they in turn, blame someone even lower than they are on the totem pole.

But the FL actually likes her job. She finds a few genuine friends and allies, and strives to please the remote, mysterious Feng Ji, General Manager of the hotel, who often corrects her (trivial) mistakes and criticizes her.

It soon turns out that the success of the hotel is hanging by a thread. Everything depends on–wait for it--SHEETS! Will a certain hygiene problem be solved? Or will the hotel’s dirty laundry be exposed for all to see?

The main rule of storytelling is: keep the viewer engaged.

And I’m still engaged, although slightly bemused by this absolutely silly plot development

Later (episode 28): I still don’t feel much warmth for the ML. He seems to be a cold fish, someone who can express negative emotions when necessary, but struggles with the positive ones. Does he feel anything for the clever and beautiful FL? Or does he have ice water in his veins.

Another thing that’s tiresome is the way the two leads treat the rich guests at the hotel. Both the ML and the FL find immense satisfaction in devoting their lives to making the moneyed classes ever more comfortable than they already are. Really Miyu? Really Ji Feng? This is how you want to spend your one precious life? Obsessing over laundry, pastry, and carpet stains?

Well, maybe not. I’ll check in again later to see if either of these folks have had a change of heart.

Epsode 31 – Well...finally. Things have taken a turn.

But...a little bit later–it’s back to the real business of this drama, which is–BUSINESS. Does Miyu have what it takes to go into sales? I guess we’ll find out. The poor girl may have to start at the bottom...again.

Eps. 34 has my favorite scene. Our two leads quarrel--and to emphasize how far apart they are (metaphorically speaking), we see them separated by an elevator door, which closes slowly...once...twice...as many as five or six times. Loved it.

Meanwhile, product placement and industry accolades are creeping into the dialog, eulogising the merits of pickles, AI, and robots. I’m hoping this story won’t turn into an advertorial, but I fear it might.

Last episode. Whew! No. A fine and fitting conclusion. The ML shows that he can man up when necessary. And everyone gets what they deserve, although we, the viewers, need to hear the moral driven home yet again.

P.S. Special shout out to the villains, who never get the appreciation they deserve, especially: Jing Chao (so hard to hate), and Zhang Yi, who looks like he would be lots of fun in real life.

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Persons who are sick and tired of everything in this world, each of them seeks solace through the other, except the antagonist who is you should not have it because I don't have it, money is also the recurring theme, how it changes them and affects them, along with self respect and dignity. Characters find their own selves in other person's presence and it is about confronting themselves and the choices they make.

Fl is anhedonic due to trauma, Ml has sacrificial love as he sees himself and her as the same person, He wants her happiness and nothing else in the world.

Poignant film about limerance, editing in the first half is perfect, fl is not unnecessarily sexualised, slice of life but not feel good in the general sense as in you see characters be sad and then they get a happy ending and the audience also becomes sad and then happy with the characters, this does not happen.

This film does not try and force to elicit emotions from its viewers

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A Slapstick Blast

Seoul Busters dives headfirst into pure, unfiltered slapstick comedy—a rare gem in today's polished K-drama landscape. This ensemble cast of quirky detectives tackling absurd crimes with over-the-top antics, pratfalls, and escalating chaos that had me laughing out loud. It's hella funny, especially if you're craving that old-school vibe of mindless hilarity, like Waikiki. I missed this genre badly; it feels like a breath of fresh, ridiculous air.

That said, not gonna lie—it gets boring at times. The non-stop nonsense slapstick can feel repetitive if you're not fully tuned into that wavelength (and honestly, I'm not always). Some episodes drag with predictable setups and filler bits that test your patience. But clocking in at a breezy runtime, it's still a quick and funny watch overall—perfect for bingeing when you need zero brainpower.

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losing in deep forest.

For people coming from Season 1: Luo He (洛河), Chu Qiao’s mother and the former leader of the Han Shan Alliance (寒山盟), had mastered this technique. Before her death, she transmitted about 80% of her Han Bing Jue power to Chu Qiao, designating her as the new heir of the Wind and Cloud Decree.

The “Wind and Cloud Decree” is not a physical token, it manifests as a flower-shaped birthmark (often described as a red spider lily / 彼岸花) that appears on the successor’s shoulder once the Han Bing Jue is fully awakened.

Yuwen Yue uses “ice arrows” both to train Chu Qiao and to save her during the wolf hunt.

Xiao Yu as elder sister of Xiao Ce crown prince now call li ce crown prince; represents a brilliant narrative choice: a female power player whose strength is not only martial, but also intellectual, political, and emotional. Her “bending sword” is more than a weapon, it symbolizes her ability to adapt, strike unpredictably, and protect her kingdom without relying on overt domination. The fact that she can stand toe-to-toe with Yuwen Yue in both strategy and combat makes her one of the most satisfying characters in the drama.

In Season 2 (rebirth), these elements are largely missing. There are 3 of likely reasons:

1. The original concepts were more complex and dramatic, and the new production simplifies things, focusing mainly on Yuwen Yue (as a Zhuge –type strategist), Yan Xun, and A’Chu.
2. Budget constraints, especially for visual effects. Depicting ice-based internal energy like Han Bing Jue requires heavy VFX, so many scenes fall back on metaphor (frozen lakes, breath vapor, frost on arrows) instead of fully visualized abilities.
3. The producer is lazy and needs money fast because they knew the first drama was huge, so the second is an easy money grab.

It’s a noticeable contrast: Chinese animation often goes all-out with overpowered visual spectacle, while live-action dramas tend to scale things back, sometimes at the cost of depth and impact.

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An entertaining short series

The first thing to know is that this is a short series in which each of the 28 episodes is only about 22 minutes long. Despite it being a short series, they manage to cram everything into it that you would expect to see in a longer series, including even a romance arc for the supporting characters. I thought that the FL was very good, the ML was kind of stiff, but that is the personality of his character. The plot was okay for me, it felt like you could see the eventual ending coming from a mile away. The ending was a disappointment for me, felt a bit contrived to get the eventual outcome. For me, it didn't seem like the FL even needed to make the sacrifice that she did. Couldn't she have lived her life to the end and then made the sacrifice on her deathbed? It's not like the villagers would know the difference, they seemed like they were in stasis.

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A Love So Powerful It Hurts

If you’re looking for a drama that will completely wreck you—in the best way possible—Love Beyond the Grave is it.

From the very first episode, I was hooked. The story pulls you into this beautifully haunting world where love doesn’t just face obstacles… it defies life, death, and everything in between. The characters feel so real, so layered, that you don’t just watch them—you feel everything they go through.

And let’s talk about the leads. Their chemistry? Unreal. You find yourself rooting for them so hard it almost hurts. Every glance, every sacrifice, every moment together feels meaningful. By the time I got to the final episodes, I was fully emotionally invested… and yes, I bawled my eyes out. No shame.

I don’t think I’ve ever wished so desperately for a happy ending. That kind of emotional pull doesn’t happen often, and it’s a testament to how well this drama is written and performed.

It’s heartbreaking, beautiful, and unforgettable all at once. If you’re ready to feel everything—this one’s absolutely worth the watch. 💔✨

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bring back fam dramas 40-100 eps

I really hate that people made the industry cast these long dramas away.

This drama brought me comfort, laughter, happiness, satisfaction, along with many other emotions. like it one of those dramas that you want to forget and rewatch all over again.

I don’t know why people kept saying the story left track because it never did, the main point of the whole drama is the rich family getting used to being normal and having no greed, which we saw all throughout every single episode of this drama.

And to the people that say it’s to long man just watch the short ones then, no one’s forcing you.

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It lingers and aches so good.

❝What do I believe comes after love? I believe we come to understand what love truly is. It’s a sad irony—that only after love do we realize what it really means.❞ — Jungo

For me, the title What Comes After Love reads as a statement rather than a question. It feels like the beginning of every answer—completed by the varied emotions and inner worlds of each character.

These ideas shape the story itself. Watching the drama feels like reading a novel—perhaps fitting, since it is based on one. What stands out is not just who the characters are, but how they feel. The narrative offers rich emotional detail, helping me understand and appreciate the story more deeply. Even with short episodes, each one answers the questions I carry about the characters.

What matters most to me is that characters reveal their thoughts and emotions, not just their identities. In What Comes After Love, this is done exceptionally well. Lee Se-young and Kentaro Sakaguchi deliver nuanced performances that bring those emotional layers to life—the very layers I rely on as a viewer.

Because of this, the drama stands as one of the most beautiful romance melodramas I’ve seen so far.

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