Reviews

The crime is the ending

The series began with so much intrigue that it kept me glued to the screen, eagerly anticipating each new episode. It was a classic whodunit that constantly had me guessing who the real culprit was. While it lacked the intensity and suspense of a true crime drama, it’s difficult to expect that level of grit from a BL series.

This was a low-production Korean series with plenty of potential. The premise was promising, but unfortunately, the writing never lived up to it. With episodes running only about 20 minutes each, the story lacked the depth needed to develop either the mystery or the characters. The romance didn’t feel natural and often seemed forced. Too many questions were raised throughout the series, only to be left unclear.

The acting, particularly by Park Si Woo, wasn’t convincing. Whether it was his performance or the director’s inability to draw out the necessary emotions, his portrayal of a broken, defenseless former police officer was difficult to believe. In contrast, Cho Min Kyu was the standout of the cast, delivering a compelling performance as the unhinged antihero.

The ending was perhaps the biggest disappointment. The obvious CGI beach scene felt completely out of place, and using handcuffs as a symbol of lifelong commitment came across as more cheesy than meaningful.

I genuinely wanted this series to succeed and found myself rooting for it from the very beginning. Sadly, despite its intriguing premise, it ended up being a missed opportunity that never fulfilled its potential.

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A drama that promises a lot, never delivers — and that's exactly why people watch it.

Overdo will probably be watched by a lot of people, and it will almost certainly become a hit. But I have a feeling it's the kind of drama you'll watch only once.

It creates a very strange feeling: constant, relentless frustration. And that's exactly why you keep watching.

The plot moves at breakneck speed. Events unfold one after another without pause, the intrigue never lets up, and every episode is packed with action. But that's not the real issue.

The real problem is that the drama rarely gives the audience a chance to emotionally complete an important scene. You understand what has happened, but you don't have time to feel it. Just as the characters reach the point where an emotion should fully unfold, the editing cuts away and moves on.

The result is a strange effect. The story becomes a kaleidoscope in which each new scene immediately replaces the last. Some dramatic moments even begin to feel unintentionally comedic—not only because they aren't given enough time to become genuine drama, but also because of the sheer absurdity of the plot.

This is why Overdo feels so persistently frustrating. Instead of delivering emotional payoff, it keeps promising that payoff in the next scene. You keep thinking the drama is finally going to slow down, let the characters finish what they started, and allow the audience to experience the moment with them. Instead, another scene begins, another twist appears, and another wave of tension takes its place.

Perhaps that's exactly where the drama's appeal lies. Many people won't keep watching because they're emotionally satisfied, but because they're still waiting for the emotional release the drama keeps postponing.

Lin He and Wang Chu Ran will undoubtedly receive the recognition they deserve. Their performances hold your attention even when the direction doesn't allow the scenes themselves to fully breathe.

So yes, Overdo will almost certainly be a hit. People will talk about it, recommend it, and finish it. But I'm not convinced that, a week after the finale, many will remember the story itself. What may stay with them instead is the feeling of endlessly chasing an emotional payoff that never quite arrives.

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If milk and beige came together, it would be the colour of Song Yi's character in this show.

I want to say that I started watching the show with very low expectations of polish and excellence. I really just wanted to be entertained, and while the story was absolutely filled to the brim with plot holes and "wtf" moments, it was supremely entertaining for the following reasons:

First, Cheng Lei being extremely s3xy in that face guard and black general uniform.
Second, Cheng Lei being extremely s3xy shirtless for as many scenes as possible.
Third, extremely tight pacing, well organized story line
Fourth, batsh!t insane Empress trope
Fifth, Cheng Lei transforming à la Sailor Moon style, my body was so ready for this. Loved every second of it.

It kept me going honestly and if you don't want tight coherency or plot rationale and you don't mind a really flaccid main couple pairing, then this is the show for you.

Which leads me to mention Song Yi. I mean, my god she is so pretty. She's adorable and lovely and she tries really hard to be badass, but she just like...ends up being milquetoast. All her martial arts scenes feel so crushingly underwhelming, that it's impossible to move past it when the fight scenes are like five minutes long and she's just been flinging arrows at extreme close range at soldiers who merely saunter over and collapse in front of her. Her only believable fight scene was when she fights Aodeng in episode 30-something and he absolutely crushes her. You can see she's really trying and he's just...so much more skilled at it.

I've only watched her in Destined, so I don't know if this is a pattern for Song Yi's acting style, but she also doesn't seem to transfer her emotions from scene to scene very well. It's like she resets every scene and starts afresh, like the grief from her previous scene is completely wiped off her face. I find the continuity of her expressions difficult to ingest because I'm never sure if she's actually recovered from the last scene or not, although that being said, she delivers her expressions well within the scene itself very well. It just...doesn't stitch together from scene to scene.

Frankly speaking, I found Cheng Lei to be MORE engaged and interesting with absolutely every other character. He had some topnotch bromance with Lu Xin. Lu was just 100% more interesting than Shuang I don't know what else is there to say. I wanted MORE of her chemistry with basically any of the male characters.

There were some really sweet moments between Shuang x Aodeng/Jin'an but instead of bittersweet or poignant, it just turned saccharine. The scene in which Aodeng visits Shuang in the shack and she smiles at him made my teeth rot. It was so adorable, but like... kinda not what I wanted or expected out of a really heavy scene? The whiplash was too much for me.

I don't know, maybe I got too hyped over Cheng Lei's string of absolutely stunning and steamy romances with a range of interesting actresses that this mid-strength romance just kind of threw me off.

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A mix between Reply 1988 and 25 21

This drama was the kind of drama that makes you feel like you are part of the friends group portrayed in the show 🥹🥹🥹 The feeling this drama gave me was similar to the feeling I had while watching Reply 1988, which is my favorite drama! The found family aspect is tearjerkingly heartwarming, the romance is tender, pure and innocent, and the fantasy is whimsical and well-thought-through ☺️

In general I really like dramas set in the past, especially the 80s and 90s.
I also really loved the setting of the present in Hongdae ☺️ It made me reminisce about my trip there in summer 2024 😍😍😍

I really loved all the characters. Fake Se-Gyeong was a bit annoying sometimes at the beginning but it quickly changed to the better.

I also really liked how it ended. I had some alternative ideas in my head for how it could have ended but I really like this ending. It’s rare for me to like the actual ending of a show more than what I have envisioned 😂😂😂
The only thing that was missing was that I wished that Fake Se-Gyeong had re-opened her grandfather’s music shop Viva La Musica ☺️☺️☺️ That would have been the perfect ending… But nonetheless it was still great!

I also really liked how Cheong-Ah could resolve her relationship with her father 🥹 That was so heartwarming!

in general I laughed and cried a lot in this drama! Ie-chan and Cheong-Ah were hands down my favorite characters 😍😍😍 Their love story was just so sweet and tender 🥹🥹🥹
As for the romance between Eun-gyeol and fake Se-Gyeong I wasn’t as invested tbh 😅😅😅 But it was still nice!

And ofc since this is a music drama, the OST was amazing! Some of the sound design reminded me of American movies from the 90s and early 2000s as well. But it worked well with this drama ☺️😍😍

I can only recommend this drama!

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I was prepared to give this a 10 but wasn't prepared to be given a 7

I was expecting sooo much more from this. It's a great concept that requires several episodes and not just 10 but since this is a BL, they're allergic to that but somehow won't mind a 50-episode Kdrama.

What really ruined this drama was the length. They've shortened and cut A LOT from the novel that it literally shows you how rushed it is. They did not even properly show how they proved the innocence of Chaeha's father by interviewing Pro Joo's brother. They didn't even show Chaeha and Pro Joo's date! I am so mad that they had a good material but didn't utilized it better.

As for the acting, they're fine. But I feel like Chaeha's actor could be better. He is very stiff.

Also, the reason why I don’t like watching kdramas or KBL is their cinematography. Like is Korea allergic to textured skin? Why do Korean dramas like to make the people poreless? It's giving 360 beauty filter.

I'm torn to say if this is a step up for a KBL or another let-down disguised as a step-up. Because yes, the kissing scenes here definitely on another level compared to other KBLs but on the other hand, the plot, the cinematography, the acting, and everything else are not.

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This IS a BL

I've read several reviews claiming that this isn't a BL, and from what I can gather it's because Johan and Ryu don't have the typical on-screen physical intimacy that we've grown used to. But, they have the same amount of on-screen sex as the straight couple: none. However, I don't see anyone denying that relationship. Johan and Ryu have emotional intimacy, they express deep care for each other, the compromise and negotiate, they make decisions based on their independent and mutual wants and needs, and they plan life events together. Without spoiling key plot points, I want to stress how sweet, loving, and understanding their relationship is. It is a beautiful story, and the lack of NC scenes does not take away from their connection.

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Great story, but lacks chemistry!

Overall this is series is a bit underrated. I admit, the first two episodes were somewhat annoying. This was due to the fact that the characters introduced were really not likable in any way. I found that two of the three protagonists just had no personality ... but Na In Woo saved this series for me. Kaya Kiyohara and Ryo Narita really didn't add too much for the entertainment, at least early on. Their characters just seemed so boring and no chemistry toward each other at all.
In Woo's characters brought life to the series. And although So Ha doesn't appear to be a nice guy early on, give it time. He proves to be the most down to earth, positive guy in the story.
By the time episode 4 happens, we're introduced to some new antagonists and several sub plots to the main story. It gets so much better from that point on. As you get deep into the drama, everything really gels together, making for a pretty entertaining series. I think the only complaint late in the story would be, the fact the true antagonists really don't get the retribution they deserve. They're treated to kindly. I guess if it was a darker series, they might have seen a more harsh punishment.
All in all. it was good entertainment, and gave us an ending that was very satisfying.

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Can We Still Judge the Movie?

I never reviewed Real when it came out in 2017. Back then, I simply accepted it for what it was: an unusual psychological film that wouldn't appeal to everyone. Nearly ten years later, with everything surrounding Kim Soo Hyun and after reading countless comments describing it as "the worst Korean movie ever made," I decided to watch it again.

What surprised me the most wasn't the movie itself. It was the reviews.

I spent some time reading opinions from different years before rewatching it. The reviews from 2017 were already divided, but most people talked about the cinematography, the confusing narrative, the symbolism, or the performances. As the years passed, especially after 2025, the discussion seemed to shift. Instead of talking about the film, many reviews focused almost entirely on Kim Soo Hyun, Sulli, or the explicit scenes. It made me wonder how many people were actually reviewing Real, and how many were reviewing the people in it.

Then I watched the movie again.

Honestly... I expected something much more explicit.

For years I had heard people describe Real as if it were one of the most shocking Korean films ever made. After finally revisiting it, I couldn't help comparing it to American and European productions I've watched over the years. Series like Queer as Folk contain scenes that are considerably more explicit, yet they rarely generated the same level of outrage. Real is certainly intended for adults, but the controversy surrounding those scenes feels far bigger than the scenes themselves.

Looking back, I still don't think Sulli deserved the criticism she received simply for accepting this role. Whether someone enjoys the film or not, actors shouldn't become the target of public anger for performing scenes that are part of the director's artistic vision.

That doesn't mean Real is a misunderstood masterpiece.

Far from it.

The film is ambitious, sometimes to its own detriment. Director Lee Sa Rang clearly wanted to create something where reality, identity and memory constantly overlap, leaving the audience unsure of what is actually happening. I appreciate films that trust viewers to think for themselves, but Real occasionally mistakes confusion for complexity. There were moments where I felt intrigued, and others where I simply wished the story would communicate its ideas more clearly.

Visually, however, I think the film deserves far more credit than it usually receives.

The neon lighting, the carefully designed sets and the dreamlike atmosphere create an identity that immediately separates Real from more conventional Korean crime films. Even when the narrative loses me, I never felt the production became lazy. Every frame looks intentional. Whether you enjoy the story or not, it's difficult to deny the amount of work that went into creating its visual style.

Kim Soo Hyun was also, in my opinion, a good casting choice.

His role demands constant shifts between confidence, vulnerability and psychological instability, and I think he handles those changes well. Ironically, after everything that's happened over the past few years, I found myself paying less attention to him than I expected.

Instead, Lee Sung Min completely stole the film.

I've admired him for years, and Real reminded me once again why. He has an incredible ability to dominate every scene without raising his voice or overacting. He isn't the kind of actor people usually describe as glamorous, yet his presence is genuinely intimidating. Every time he appeared on screen, I found myself watching him more than anyone else.

Maybe that's what makes revisiting Real in 2026 so interesting.

The film itself hasn't changed.

What has changed is the audience.

Whether consciously or not, many people now seem to approach Real carrying opinions about its actors before the opening scene even begins. I don't think that's unique to Korea, but I do think it's particularly visible here. We often separate artists from their work in Western cinema, while in Korea the public image of an actor can dramatically reshape how older projects are perceived.

Final Thought

I don't think Real deserves the reputation it has today, but I don't think it deserves to be called a masterpiece either. It's an ambitious psychological thriller with impressive visuals, solid performances and a story that sometimes becomes too complicated for its own good.

If you decide to watch it, my only advice is this: try to judge the film itself, not the headlines you've read over the past few years. Whether you end up loving it or hating it, I think that's the fairest way to experience one of Korea's most controversial films.

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Give it a chance. Don’t drop it yet! This drama is not for the faint-hearted.

Flawed editing and messy pacing? Yes. Still watching every single second for the plot and the cast? Absolutely!

If you dropped it after episode one, this is your sign to pick it back up—Overdo really finds its footing and gets better with every single episode in my opinion. That intense chemistry between Zhang Linghe and Wang Churan is just too good to ignore, and I'm ready to dive back into all the messy love, hate, and second-chance tension. Hoping it delivers this time.

Also, the plot is heating up and I am officially hooked.

Let's see what happens next..

So far so good!!

UPDATE: My rating remains the same. The casts were all great and portrayed their roles really well. The whole story is not for the faint hearted though. Not the ending I was expecting, I believe Qingyi deserves a happy ending too. Read More

An excellent historical drama starring Bai Lu & Ryan Cheng.

PLOT: The female lead, a disciple from the Mount Li Academy, descends from her mountain home (where she had been confined by the Empress Dowager) to marry Prince Ding—the male lead—who is injured and wheelchair-bound. Their relationship develops gradually, even as both pursue their own hidden agendas. As events unfold, the couple discovers how they have become entangled in the power struggles for the throne.

+++ Bai Lu & Ryan Cheng are, as always, phenomenal and fantastic.
+++ Excellent cast: all the actors are talented and bring engaging characters to life (even the villains are not one-dimensional).
+++ Beyond the usual tropes of power struggles, war, and inner-court politics, the story explores mental health—something exceptional for a historical drama.
+++ The soundtrack (OST) is outstanding.
+++ Masterful production: lighting, framing, effects, sets, costumes, CGI, fight and war scenes... Flawless.

### No sweet romantic scenes (barely one or two kisses).
### The finale (happy ending) is a bit disappointing and flat.

=> An excellent historical drama with an exceptional lead couple.
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Excellent drama historique avec Bai Lu & Ryan Cheng

PLOT: La FL, discipline de l'académie XX, descend de sa montagne (scellée par l'impératrice douairière) pour épouser le Prince Ding, le ML, blessé, en fauteuil. La relation va se construire peu à peu, bien que chacun poursuive son agenda caché. Le couple va découvrir au fil des évènements, comment ils ont été pris dans les luttes de pouvoir pour le trône.

+++ Bai Lu & Ryan Cheng sont, comme toujours, phénoménaux, fantastiques.
+++ Excellent cast : tous les acteurs sont talentueux et donnent vie à des personnages attachants (même les Villains ne sont pas manichéens).
+++ Hormis les plots habituels de lutte pour le pouvoir, la guerre, la gestion des cours intérieures, la story explore la santé mentale, ce qui est exceptionnel dans un drama historique.
+++ Les OSTs sont exceptionnelles.
+++ La réalisation est magistrale : lumières, cadrages, effets, décors, costumes, CGI, scènes de fight et de guerre, ... No flaws

### No sweet scenes (à peine 1 ou 2 kisses)
### Final (happy ending) un peu décevant, plat.

=> Un excellent drama historique, avec un CL exceptionnel.

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Unapologetically Raw, Complex, and Thought-Provoking

This is, hands down, THE BEST drama series I have watched. The narrative was jam packed with complexities that engaged and challenged my analytical thinking. It was brilliant to use a stage with an audience to deliver asides to the viewers. This drama addresses thorny nuanced issues exposing the insane cultural expectations placed on women and men as they navigate relationships in contemporary times. I loved watching the evolution of these relatable characters as they become aware of their core values, develop their own perspectives on life, and build genuine connections with each other. This show would make a fantastic case study or group discussion piece for analyzing character motivations and psychological growth.

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