Reviews

Raging Fire Love for This Drama

I totally love this drama down from it's characters and storyline to it's OSTs. Absolutely perfect!

I wasn't really expecting anything at the start since military dramas aren't really my cup of tea. Though, Arsenal Military Academy was long in my watchlist since I happened to see a short reel in the blue app where the male lead, Gu Yanzhen, was openly flirting and teasing the female lead, Xie Liangchen/Xie Xiang, while their instructor was in front, I find it cute and decided to add it on my watchlist.

Recently, I decided to watch the drama since I wanted to take a break from all the Kdramas I had been watching. I just randomly picked AMA from my watchlist. I started with no expectations but AMA consistently delivered, which didn't just piqued my interest but also exceeded my standards.

Xu Kai and Bai Lu have such an undeniably strong chemistry. I loved them together because everything felt so natural and not forced. AMA is my first drama for both Xu Kai and Bai Lu, and I think I'll be following them from now on.

Gu Yanzhen and Xie Xiang's love story is so unique and adorable. Yes, it started with the typical "Hate-to-Love" relationship, but there is something that makes theirs special, maybe it's their chemistry or maybe the situation they're in. Their relationship doesn't just revolve around their romantic feelings towards one another but also as comrades-in-arms in battleships. Gu Yanzhen's nature is one of the things I love in the drama. I think I fell in love with Xu Kai as Gu Yanzhen. I also really liked how Gu Yanzhen pursued Xie Xiang by loving, protecting, and supporting her throughout the drama. My only disappointment is that their lovely or sweet moments were not really seen much on-screen, even when they got together it was not clearly declared that they were a couple. Either way, I love both characters, and I hope the actors will be able to work together for a new project. I will surely miss these two as I bid goodbye to the drama.

Shen Junshan gave me "the one that got away" vibes. On the early episodes, he really made it hard for me to choose between him and Gu Yanzhen. He was like a Prince Charming, always ready to save Xie Xiang, the damsel in distress. In early episodes, he was giving off soft stares and sweet interactions with Xie Xiang without even knowing her true identity. My heart goes out for him even more when he says "I trust you", in one of their operations where they must stop a bomb from exploding. Even Gu Yanzhen expressed his distrust on Xie Xiang at that time, but Junshan didn't. His constant heroic saves plus his words of assurance, "Don't be afraid, I'm here", from the early episodes made him a solid contender for Yanzhen. However, I think most Junshan supporters, including me, had a fall out when he decided to blindly believed in Xianrong and constantly distanced himself from Xie Xiang. That's when Gu Yanzhen solidified his spot as a leading man, making the audience swoon all over him. Still, I'll always have a soft spot for Shen Junshan.

To Huang Song, Ji Jin, Zhu Yanlin, and Li Wenzhong, thank you guys for making AMA such a wonderful drama. It would have been nice to see you guys all together, celebrating at Madam Yu's tavern at the end. I still couldn't accept Xiao Song's fate, he was a brother, a friend, and a brave soul. He died without even realizing that the women he loves was his bestfriend all along. Xiao Song was constant, he was there from the beginning but fails to make it till the end. For Wenzhong, I'm glad he was able to redeem himself and we got a glimpse of his life, though it was brief. It would have been great if Wenzhong lived so that Xiao Song's sacrificed wasn't in vain. Either way, great job, boys! Long live brave soldiers!

Shen Tingbai and Qu Manting's lovestory was also great. Thank goodness they got their happy ending. Shen Tingbai was such a green flag, so loving and understanding towards Manting despite her wild character. They definitely deserves each other.

For Guo Shuting and Madam Yu's side story, I'd say they had the deepest yet most tragic love story. Imagine, Madam Yu waited for so many years for Instructor Guo, and when they finally meet halfway, they were forced to bid goodbye. Honestly, I was waiting for Instructor Guo to realize his feelings to Madam Yu, not just because he feels sorry or responsible for her. Sadly, their love story weren't given a chance.

To end this review, I'd say that this drama is really great and deserves to be recommended. It's about a story of brave soldiers who fought so hard for their country's freedom. It shows the determination and courage of one when oppressed in his own soil. AMA is an action, war, and rom-com drama packed into 48 episodes, with great actors and OSTs.

Although, I find the ending lacking. I wanted to see more of the characters. I just think that Xianrong's last scene was dragged on and took up almost the entire last episode, reasons why the ending was a bit rushed and lacking.

Overall, I will surely miss AMA and it's lovely cast. Hoping for a cast reunion someday!

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Running Away

A movie for mature audiences. From the very beginning it’s clear that something is wrong, and as the story develops things become more and more complicated. A married couple finds themselves stuck on a vacation that simply won’t end, and there will be everything — including +18 scenes. In fact, the film follows the classic formula of American horror movies and successfully builds tension and suspense right up to the very end. I think the ending itself could have been a bit more complete, but overall I’m satisfied with the way everything was concluded.

The lead role is played by the well-known Ma Dong-seok, and although he is known as a good-natured strongman, here he takes on a rare villain role. His acting isn’t perfect, but I can say the villain part suits him extremely well and he was quite convincing as the enigmatic, violent host.

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I NEED A SEASON 3 BADLY

Okay, so I wrote individual reviews for each show, so you can go on my profile and check them out if you are feeling freaky, but this is just as much as I can fit with my drama list review limit, so enjoy. Overall, this show got an 8.5 out of 10 from me, and I am going to go in order of the shows and put the most important things (This is the same review as my normal one; I just need this for my end-of-the-year review so it's even lmao).

Besides the Sky: The Day the Music Died

Starting with the plot. I think they could have done it a bit better, but I like the whole thing with the sister, even though I really should hate it; I thought it was pretty good. I just wish they wrote it out a little bit better because there were still a few plot holes. But god, it just made me so sad, the whole thing with the sister and how he is a disappointment because of that, so I guess the writing was pretty good. This is also what I wrote the headline off of, because the day she died, everything after that was terrible for Typhoon.

Once again, just like the original, the romance and character writing was phenomenal, and I am actually gagged. Every character felt like a real person, because they were brought to life in that way. I also think that, because of that, some parts had the same charm as the first one, so I liked that too. (They did jump the gun with their romance, though, which I am not very fond of).

They have such good chemistry, so I quite enjoyed their kissing and all that. EAT EATING ATEEEE, BECAUSE I DON'T PLAY. I also love the actors' off-screen chemistry too, and it is always a joy to see them on my four you page (or should I say fourever you page (see what I did there, I will be here all day bruh or until I finish all my reviews for this show lmao)).

I LOVE WHEN THE FRIEND GROUP IS ALL TOGETHER, OH MY GOD THAT'S BETTER THAN ANY SEX SCENE.

Regarding things I didn't like, the start was so incredibly lackluster, my lord. I loved season 1, and I would give my life to watch that again for the first time, so my standards were very high for this. And I was ultimately let down by the start of this one. I feel like we were just thrown into the deep end of lore that halfway made sense and expected to swim. AND let's just say, I didn't swim. I was fucking DROWNING BITCH.

Next up was our 'wolf in sheep's clothing.' So before I go on the rant that I am about to go on, I wanna preface that I love Bever and Tonliew, and they have such good chemistry AND are amazing actors. But the power dynamic they have this is literally the most problematic thing ever, and it was really hard to ignore. The whole thing with Bever's character 'respecting him' was fine until he's like I am only doing this so you like me; I actually have no problem coming on to you. I didn't like that one bit, oh my god. Also, the fact that they grew up together makes the dynamic so much weirder, and I actually can't get behind it at all. Like, at least for the other character they are openly evil and at least are somewhat respectful; he's just not, and I don't fuck with that at all. Okay rant over...for now. My reaction for their dynamic changing lmao, "DYNAMIC CHANGE HELLO. CAUGHT MY REACTION ON INSTA. "I'm starting to lose my patience now." WHATEVER YOU SAY NEXT OR HAPPENS NEXT CAN'T EXCUSE THIS LINE AND THEIR DYNAMIC IS LOWKEY CHANGED FOR ME. Help. HELP. WHAT THE HELL, I CAN'T MOVE ON FROM THAT."

On top of that, there was a lot of bullshit in the episodes. I think that they needed to cool it on the filler, especially with how short it is; like, just tell me the fucking plot line before I get violent. Also, in regards to other bull shit, the confession bit was lowkey so bullshit. I was at a loss for words. I feel like they were doing too much when they should have just had a flat-out confession; stop giving me all this run-around shit and going back to this with lackluster ass shit. Some episodes were interesting for a little bit, and then they would go to this lackluster boring shit, like we are pissing me off, silly.

THE WAY HE FOUND OUT THAT TORFUN DIED SUCKKKK, OH MY GOD. Like, we built our love story off of her; what are we even talking about right now, huh? He was just kind of like Oh yeah, your sister's been dead even though she's been texting me; I have known for a while now. LIKE WHAT? That should have been a bigger deal. I am dead.

The Sun from Another Star: Sits at the top of the driveway

Starting off strong was the start. Unlike our previous couple, their start was actually really good, and I feel like it actually set this show up perfectly. It showed all of the characters as well as all the relevant background characters, and it was very to the point, which is always nice to see.

OH MY GOD. The next thing I liked was THE GIRL WHOSE BF DIED. I fucking loved that. And you know, I should hate that; I really should, because it was kind of an irrelevant plot line to take away from our main couple, but they made me wanna fucking BAWL MY EYES OUT. I loved every second of them, and I will never get them out of my head ever. I need a sequel where it is just them; I don’t play. God, they make me so sad. But I love them.

Going back to our main couple, I also loved taking things slow. It didn't really feel awkward; it lowkey felt just right, and I enjoyed that a lot, y'all have no idea. Just great with everything, including the love, because neither of us were quite ready for a relationship just yet, and we really need to grow as people before we grow together.

THE MOM. Okay, so I hate on San Francisco later in my review, but the fact that she died on Christmas and he spent so long trying to talk to her, and she was just dead. I don't know if I will ever be okay, because what the fuck. That was just so sad, and they brought that to life really well, so good job to them again (at the cost of my sanity this time).

Another thing I liked was, once again, the friend groups; they were so lovely to see, oh my god. Johan and Arthits' relationship was such a gift, and I love it. They are pretty similar and also not, but I just really enjoyed them on screen together even if they were arguing. Also, Arthit and North being close was also really cute (peak Bas with the middle part because I don’t play about him).

Moving on to things I didn’t like. WHY WERE WE ON SCOOBY DOO AH MANHUNT FOR THE FIRST COUPLE OF EPISODES, YALL GONNA PISS ME OFF SILLY I SWEAR TO GOD.

SAN FRANCISCO, KEEP MY SECOND HOME OUT OF YOUR MOUTHHHHH. THERE IS NOWHERE IN SAN FRANCISCO THAT LOOKS LIKE THAT; THE ENTIRE CITY IS ON TOP OF ITSELF. DON'T PISS ME OFFFFFF.

Regarding our love story, I think we did a good job at the start, and then when he asked him to be his boyfriend, it kind of felt like a middle finger to all the progress we were making, so that was kind of irritating. I just wished they spaced that out better.

On more stuff I didn't like, episode 14. If you have seen this, you know what happens here, and if you haven't, well, spoiler time...like always. There is a scene in this where Arhit comes onto Dao, and then Dao pushes him off after Dao kisses his neck and all that. And while he did apologize and they work through that, that was ultimately a dislike for me, because it felt kind of unnecessary in a way; I don't know, like he didn't NEED to come on to him. Just something about BL shows: they love their sexual assault. And well, I do acknowledge that this happens a lot in real life, and in that aspect it makes this a good representation; it felt very out of character for Arthit and along with that the storyline.

And then finally one short note on stuff I didn’t like: the final episode. Something about this season and their final episodes was just so lackluster and had me really disappointed. I feel like they set the standards so high and just wrecked them, like please can we lock in I BEG. But yeah, that’s kind of it for this one.

Lately, It's Winter Season: If they say why, why tell 'em that it's human nature.

Starting off with the plot itself and what I liked about it. It, like all of the parts before it, felt very natural. The characters, the plot (ignoring the mafia shit), everything about it felt so natural, and it really had that Fourever You charm that I have grown to love so much. I also liked how we got the very start of their love story all the way to the end instead of getting randomly thrown in there like the other parts. And I think this is lowkey due to them building this shit brick by brick; I can’t even lie to y'all right now. It was pretty slow burn with a lot of filler, but I gotta remember: don’t hate the player, hate the game. I was so excited for like everything in this show, because of the foundation that was laid for the house that was waiting to be built; like, I couldn’t wait for them to fall more in love and, well, in the end, date.

Kind of piggybacking off of the characters and plot, I quite enjoyed Nao’s character (I will get to crash out Suer in a moment, don’t y'all even worry). I said in my episode 17 review, “Nao being the less liked twin is WAY TOO REAL, LIKE WAY TOO CLOSE TO HOME, WHERE IS MY SUER ON GOD?” And as someone who is a twin and identical at that, God, this hit way closer to home than I ever expected, and that's because of the good character writing. It's not quite something you can understand unless you have lived it before, but growing up with your twin and basically always being together, then slowly becoming your own people, is so crazy to see in this drama format. And as someone whose twin is more liked than me, god, I feel for Nao. He's not resentful; he's just honest and kind of accepting of it, and I feel that so deeply in my bones; y'all actually have no idea. 

Going more on what I liked regarding sibling relationships, we have Suer and his brother. Okay, so starting off, their relationship was really rocky, but it turns out his brother literally just wanted to protect him, and that made me so fucking sad, oh my god. Like, that's his baby at the end of the day, oh my god, because he doesn't play about him, not one bit. They were just both neglected by their father and, in turn, their mother, so when they should have stuck together, they were pulled apart. But then they came around, and I actually really loved that, and I thought that was really well written.

And of course, I said this in my other two reviews, but I love LOVE the connection with the other shows, especially with Johan. Like Suer calling him up, that was really fun, and I thought that was really cute. And then when we finally make it to the present, North pulls up, and it's so cute. God, I love them so much.

I also really liked Nao's reaction to Suer having a crush on him. Like it was this whole thing and Nao's like, there's no way, but shit, we are gonna make it work because I don't wanna lose you, and truthfully I thought that was adorable. Like it really showed character development and how he can grow to love him, which is really sweet and has me all the way dead. I really enjoyed that a lot.

Starting off with things I am not very fond of, is Suer. Well, he does come around, and it becomes endearing and cute; THE CRASH OUT WAS IRRITATING. Like, for no reason, we are picking fights, being annoying; like, actually, there comes a point, and we are so far beyond that point you have no fucking idea, my lord. Don't piss me off; just be in touch with your emotions. AND, every time he needed to fight for his love, specifically episode 21, HE IS TOO BUSY SERVING FACE! SUER LOCK YOUR DUMB BUMB ASS IN BECAUSE THERE IS ACTUALLY NO WAY.

More things I didn't like: a lot of shit felt very random. The first example that came to mind: THE DAD DIES OUT OF NOWHERE? LIKE HELLO? I don't understand why the dad just completely died out of nowhere. Like they should have written in that he was sick in the earlier episodes, so it didn't feel completely fucking random.

And finally, like actually finally, the ending. It was so lackluster and terrible, just like all of his counterparts. I feel like they set it up to be so good and then they just nuked that shit. It was boring, it didn't give our couple justice, and all of it just felt fucking random. Like we NEED TO LOCK THE FUCK IN, I swear to God, because I don't play about these two. God, I am so mad because I wanted their ending to be really good. Literally fuck y'all.

And well, that's it, my friends. I hope you enjoyed my long-ass reviews for this show. In the end, I really did enjoy these two seasons, and I really want another one because these two shows have brought me more joy than I would ever know, my lord. Please watch this and then the first season. Okay bye!

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I NEED A SEASON 3 BADLY

Okay, so I wrote individual reviews for each show, so you can go on my profile and check them out if you are feeling freaky, but this is just as much as I can fit with my drama list review limit, so enjoy. Overall, this show got an 8.5 out of 10 from me, and I am going to go in order of the shows and put the most important things.

Besides the Sky: The Day the Music Died

Starting with the plot. I think they could have done it a bit better, but I like the whole thing with the sister, even though I really should hate it; I thought it was pretty good. I just wish they wrote it out a little bit better because there were still a few plot holes. But god, it just made me so sad, the whole thing with the sister and how he is a disappointment because of that, so I guess the writing was pretty good. This is also what I wrote the headline off of, because the day she died, everything after that was terrible for Typhoon.

Once again, just like the original, the romance and character writing was phenomenal, and I am actually gagged. Every character felt like a real person, because they were brought to life in that way. I also think that, because of that, some parts had the same charm as the first one, so I liked that too. (They did jump the gun with their romance, though, which I am not very fond of).

They have such good chemistry, so I quite enjoyed their kissing and all that. EAT EATING ATEEEE, BECAUSE I DON'T PLAY. I also love the actors' off-screen chemistry too, and it is always a joy to see them on my four you page (or should I say fourever you page (see what I did there, I will be here all day bruh or until I finish all my reviews for this show lmao)).

I LOVE WHEN THE FRIEND GROUP IS ALL TOGETHER, OH MY GOD THAT'S BETTER THAN ANY SEX SCENE.

Regarding things I didn't like, the start was so incredibly lackluster, my lord. I loved season 1, and I would give my life to watch that again for the first time, so my standards were very high for this. And I was ultimately let down by the start of this one. I feel like we were just thrown into the deep end of lore that halfway made sense and expected to swim. AND let's just say, I didn't swim. I was fucking DROWNING BITCH.

Next up was our 'wolf in sheep's clothing.' So before I go on the rant that I am about to go on, I wanna preface that I love Bever and Tonliew, and they have such good chemistry AND are amazing actors. But the power dynamic they have this is literally the most problematic thing ever, and it was really hard to ignore. The whole thing with Bever's character 'respecting him' was fine until he's like I am only doing this so you like me; I actually have no problem coming on to you. I didn't like that one bit, oh my god. Also, the fact that they grew up together makes the dynamic so much weirder, and I actually can't get behind it at all. Like, at least for the other character they are openly evil and at least are somewhat respectful; he's just not, and I don't fuck with that at all. Okay rant over...for now. My reaction for their dynamic changing lmao, "DYNAMIC CHANGE HELLO. CAUGHT MY REACTION ON INSTA. "I'm starting to lose my patience now." WHATEVER YOU SAY NEXT OR HAPPENS NEXT CAN'T EXCUSE THIS LINE AND THEIR DYNAMIC IS LOWKEY CHANGED FOR ME. Help. HELP. WHAT THE HELL, I CAN'T MOVE ON FROM THAT."

On top of that, there was a lot of bullshit in the episodes. I think that they needed to cool it on the filler, especially with how short it is; like, just tell me the fucking plot line before I get violent. Also, in regards to other bull shit, the confession bit was lowkey so bullshit. I was at a loss for words. I feel like they were doing too much when they should have just had a flat-out confession; stop giving me all this run-around shit and going back to this with lackluster ass shit. Some episodes were interesting for a little bit, and then they would go to this lackluster boring shit, like we are pissing me off, silly.

THE WAY HE FOUND OUT THAT TORFUN DIED SUCKKKK, OH MY GOD. Like, we built our love story off of her; what are we even talking about right now, huh? He was just kind of like Oh yeah, your sister's been dead even though she's been texting me; I have known for a while now. LIKE WHAT? That should have been a bigger deal. I am dead.

The Sun from Another Star: Sits at the top of the driveway

Starting off strong was the start. Unlike our previous couple, their start was actually really good, and I feel like it actually set this show up perfectly. It showed all of the characters as well as all the relevant background characters, and it was very to the point, which is always nice to see.

OH MY GOD. The next thing I liked was THE GIRL WHOSE BF DIED. I fucking loved that. And you know, I should hate that; I really should, because it was kind of an irrelevant plot line to take away from our main couple, but they made me wanna fucking BAWL MY EYES OUT. I loved every second of them, and I will never get them out of my head ever. I need a sequel where it is just them; I don’t play. God, they make me so sad. But I love them.

Going back to our main couple, I also loved taking things slow. It didn't really feel awkward; it lowkey felt just right, and I enjoyed that a lot, y'all have no idea. Just great with everything, including the love, because neither of us were quite ready for a relationship just yet, and we really need to grow as people before we grow together.

THE MOM. Okay, so I hate on San Francisco later in my review, but the fact that she died on Christmas and he spent so long trying to talk to her, and she was just dead. I don't know if I will ever be okay, because what the fuck. That was just so sad, and they brought that to life really well, so good job to them again (at the cost of my sanity this time).

Another thing I liked was, once again, the friend groups; they were so lovely to see, oh my god. Johan and Arthits' relationship was such a gift, and I love it. They are pretty similar and also not, but I just really enjoyed them on screen together even if they were arguing. Also, Arthit and North being close was also really cute (peak Bas with the middle part because I don’t play about him).

Moving on to things I didn’t like. WHY WERE WE ON SCOOBY DOO AH MANHUNT FOR THE FIRST COUPLE OF EPISODES, YALL GONNA PISS ME OFF SILLY I SWEAR TO GOD.

SAN FRANCISCO, KEEP MY SECOND HOME OUT OF YOUR MOUTHHHHH. THERE IS NOWHERE IN SAN FRANCISCO THAT LOOKS LIKE THAT; THE ENTIRE CITY IS ON TOP OF ITSELF. DON'T PISS ME OFFFFFF.

Regarding our love story, I think we did a good job at the start, and then when he asked him to be his boyfriend, it kind of felt like a middle finger to all the progress we were making, so that was kind of irritating. I just wished they spaced that out better.

On more stuff I didn't like, episode 14. If you have seen this, you know what happens here, and if you haven't, well, spoiler time...like always. There is a scene in this where Arhit comes onto Dao, and then Dao pushes him off after Dao kisses his neck and all that. And while he did apologize and they work through that, that was ultimately a dislike for me, because it felt kind of unnecessary in a way; I don't know, like he didn't NEED to come on to him. Just something about BL shows: they love their sexual assault. And well, I do acknowledge that this happens a lot in real life, and in that aspect it makes this a good representation; it felt very out of character for Arthit and along with that the storyline.

And then finally one short note on stuff I didn’t like: the final episode. Something about this season and their final episodes was just so lackluster and had me really disappointed. I feel like they set the standards so high and just wrecked them, like please can we lock in I BEG. But yeah, that’s kind of it for this one.

Lately, It's Winter Season: If they say why, why tell 'em that it's human nature.

Starting off with the plot itself and what I liked about it. It, like all of the parts before it, felt very natural. The characters, the plot (ignoring the mafia shit), everything about it felt so natural, and it really had that Fourever You charm that I have grown to love so much. I also liked how we got the very start of their love story all the way to the end instead of getting randomly thrown in there like the other parts. And I think this is lowkey due to them building this shit brick by brick; I can’t even lie to y'all right now. It was pretty slow burn with a lot of filler, but I gotta remember: don’t hate the player, hate the game. I was so excited for like everything in this show, because of the foundation that was laid for the house that was waiting to be built; like, I couldn’t wait for them to fall more in love and, well, in the end, date.

Kind of piggybacking off of the characters and plot, I quite enjoyed Nao’s character (I will get to crash out Suer in a moment, don’t y'all even worry). I said in my episode 17 review, “Nao being the less liked twin is WAY TOO REAL, LIKE WAY TOO CLOSE TO HOME, WHERE IS MY SUER ON GOD?” And as someone who is a twin and identical at that, God, this hit way closer to home than I ever expected, and that's because of the good character writing. It's not quite something you can understand unless you have lived it before, but growing up with your twin and basically always being together, then slowly becoming your own people, is so crazy to see in this drama format. And as someone whose twin is more liked than me, god, I feel for Nao. He's not resentful; he's just honest and kind of accepting of it, and I feel that so deeply in my bones; y'all actually have no idea. 

Going more on what I liked regarding sibling relationships, we have Suer and his brother. Okay, so starting off, their relationship was really rocky, but it turns out his brother literally just wanted to protect him, and that made me so fucking sad, oh my god. Like, that's his baby at the end of the day, oh my god, because he doesn't play about him, not one bit. They were just both neglected by their father and, in turn, their mother, so when they should have stuck together, they were pulled apart. But then they came around, and I actually really loved that, and I thought that was really well written.

And of course, I said this in my other two reviews, but I love LOVE the connection with the other shows, especially with Johan. Like Suer calling him up, that was really fun, and I thought that was really cute. And then when we finally make it to the present, North pulls up, and it's so cute. God, I love them so much.

I also really liked Nao's reaction to Suer having a crush on him. Like it was this whole thing and Nao's like, there's no way, but shit, we are gonna make it work because I don't wanna lose you, and truthfully I thought that was adorable. Like it really showed character development and how he can grow to love him, which is really sweet and has me all the way dead. I really enjoyed that a lot.

Starting off with things I am not very fond of, is Suer. Well, he does come around, and it becomes endearing and cute; THE CRASH OUT WAS IRRITATING. Like, for no reason, we are picking fights, being annoying; like, actually, there comes a point, and we are so far beyond that point you have no fucking idea, my lord. Don't piss me off; just be in touch with your emotions. AND, every time he needed to fight for his love, specifically episode 21, HE IS TOO BUSY SERVING FACE! SUER LOCK YOUR DUMB BUMB ASS IN BECAUSE THERE IS ACTUALLY NO WAY.

More things I didn't like: a lot of shit felt very random. The first example that came to mind: THE DAD DIES OUT OF NOWHERE? LIKE HELLO? I don't understand why the dad just completely died out of nowhere. Like they should have written in that he was sick in the earlier episodes, so it didn't feel completely fucking random.

And finally, like actually finally, the ending. It was so lackluster and terrible, just like all of his counterparts. I feel like they set it up to be so good and then they just nuked that shit. It was boring, it didn't give our couple justice, and all of it just felt fucking random. Like we NEED TO LOCK THE FUCK IN, I swear to God, because I don't play about these two. God, I am so mad because I wanted their ending to be really good. Literally fuck y'all.

And well, that's it, my friends. I hope you enjoyed my long-ass reviews for this show. In the end, I really did enjoy these two seasons, and I really want another one because these two shows have brought me more joy than I would ever know, my lord. Please watch this and then the first season. Okay bye!

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If they say why, why tell 'em that it's human nature

And we are back again for the final part of season 2 and, in turn, my final review; let's go. I lowkey don’t play about these two, so any negative things I say, take with a grain of salt because at the end of the day, I WOULD GIVE MY LIFE FOR THESE MORONS. Okay, so I would rate their part an 8.5 (8.625) out of 10. And of course I am gonna say what I like, what I didn’t like, and then do an episode overview; let's hit this shit to the beat bitches. 

Starting off with the plot itself and what I liked about it. It, like all of the parts before it, felt very natural. The characters, the plot (ignoring the mafia shit), everything about it felt so natural, and it really had that Fourever You charm that I have grown to love so much. I also liked how we got the very start of their love story all the way to the end instead of getting randomly thrown in there like the other parts. And I think this is lowkey due to them building this shit brick by brick; I can’t even lie to y'all right now. It was pretty slow burn with a lot of filler, but I gotta remember: don’t hate the player, hate the game. I was so excited for like everything in this show, because of the foundation that was laid for the house that was waiting to be built; like, I couldn’t wait for them to fall more in love and, well, in the end, date.

Kind of piggybacking off of the characters and plot, I quite enjoyed Nao’s character (I will get to crash out Suer in a moment, don’t y'all even worry). I said in my episode 17 review, “Nao being the less liked twin is WAY TOO REAL, LIKE WAY TOO CLOSE TO HOME, WHERE IS MY SUER ON GOD?” And as someone who is a twin and identical at that, God, this hit way closer to home than I ever expected, and that's because of the good character writing. It's not quite something you can understand unless you have lived it before, but growing up with your twin and basically always being together, then slowly becoming your own people, is so crazy to see in this drama format. And as someone whose twin is more liked than me, god, I feel for Nao. He's not resentful; he's just honest and kind of accepting of it, and I feel that so deeply in my bones; y'all actually have no idea. 

Going more on what I liked regarding sibling relationships, we have Suer and his brother. Okay, so starting off, their relationship was really rocky, but it turns out his brother literally just wanted to protect him, and that made me so fucking sad, oh my god. Like, that's his baby at the end of the day, oh my god, because he doesn't play about him, not one bit. They were just both neglected by their father and, in turn, their mother, so when they should have stuck together, they were pulled apart. But then they came around, and I actually really loved that, and I thought that was really well written.

And of course, I said this in my other two reviews, but I love LOVE the connection with the other shows, especially with Johan. Like Suer calling him up, that was really fun, and I thought that was really cute. And then when we finally make it to the present, North pulls up, and it's so cute. God, I love them so much.

I also really liked Nao's reaction to Suer having a crush on him. Like it was this whole thing and Nao's like, there's no way, but shit, we are gonna make it work because I don't wanna lose you, and truthfully I thought that was adorable. Like it really showed character development and how he can grow to love him, which is really sweet and has me all the way dead. I really enjoyed that a lot.

Starting off with things I am not very fond of, is Suer. Well, he does come around, and it becomes endearing and cute; THE CRASH OUT WAS IRRITATING. Like, for no reason, we are picking fights, being annoying; like, actually, there comes a point, and we are so far beyond that point you have no fucking idea, my lord. Don't piss me off; just be in touch with your emotions. AND, every time he needed to fight for his love, specifically episode 21, HE IS TOO BUSY SERVING FACE! SUER LOCK YOUR DUMB BUMB ASS IN BECAUSE THERE IS ACTUALLY NO WAY.

More things I didn't like: a lot of shit felt very random. The first example that came to mind: THE DAD DIES OUT OF NOWHERE? LIKE HELLO? I don't understand why the dad just completely died out of nowhere. Like they should have written in that he was sick in the earlier episodes, so it didn't feel completely fucking random.

And finally, like actually finally, the ending. It was so lackluster and terrible, just like all of his counterparts. I feel like they set it up to be so good and then they just nuked that shit. It was boring, it didn't give our couple justice, and all of it just felt fucking random. Like we NEED TO LOCK THE FUCK IN, I swear to God, because I don't play about these two. God, I am so mad because I wanted their ending to be really good. Literally fuck y'all.

Okay episode overview time. Episode 19: “SEASON 3 WITH FIELD AND NAOS BROTHER AND SUER'S BROTHER AND BEN OR WHATEVER.” Episode 20: "My nong suer with the heart bro that's his baby I can't." Episode 21: "SOME OF US LOOK LIKE HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS, AND SOME OF US LOOK LIKE GROWN MEN IN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT UNIFORMS." "Tiger, you need to stop serving face and fight for your love, I swear to God. HE SMILED. I am praying he does not dye his hair back to the weird brown color because he looks so good with the black hair. Also, p’johan, THIS CAN'T BE. 9/10. Looking at the next week, aka in like two days episode, and the hand around his waist has me sick, because what the fuck? Why is this the only contact you have given me in episodes, and I am going crazy? Right, right, right. I understand why he will not tell him that he likes him because he wants to keep their friendship the same, but it is actually pissing me off, silly, right now." Episode 22: "Also, there is no way this show is already ending. I am going to kill myself if I do not get enough time. I am going to jump. I am going to blow up the entire company. Y'all, I NEED MY SEASON 3, idc if we have lost the plot. The vibes this show brings are just phenomenal, and I do not care if it has nothing to do with the original. I need my season 3 right fucking now." "If I were NAO, I would have been like, shit, we are going to make this work, because I do not want to lose a friendship."

Okay, and just like that, my final review for this show is done. I think these two were my favorite couple, so watch this because it is actually really well done (ignore the ending). God, I will miss this show so much; Momma desperately needs her season 3. Let's run it. Okay bye!

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A couple that was actually worth rooting for!!

FINALLYYYYY!! 😭❤️

Do you know how rare it is to find a dating show couple where both people genuinely want each other, fight through all the confusion, survive multiple love interests, overcome misunderstandings, and still find their way back to each other? Because apparently, it’s not that common. For context, I've watched more dating shows than I'd like to admit, and it's been SUCH a long time since I've liked a couple this much from the very beginning.

Wu Yeol and Yu Gyeong, IS THAT COUPLE.
I cannot stop giggling because I just finished watching their final date, and I swear my heart is full! The way they looked at each other... those lingering eye gazes.. the delicious tension between them... the hand-holding in the car... and then “I LIKE YOU”!!
Now THIS is romance. THIS is chemistry. THIS is what a final date should look like.

Now, I know some people are upset that the other participants didn't get enough screen time, and honestly, I understand where they're coming from. BUT...Let's be real for a second.
Most of the other storylines were painfully onesided. One person had feelings while the other was simply going along with the dates.
And I don't watch dating shows for one-sided dates that go absolutely nowhere. So honestly... I don’t have much complaints about the amount of screen time some participants got.

And I am soo Happy Min Ju got free from the doctor guy..

The ONE thing I'm still salty about is that I really wanted to see more of Seo Won. So many of his scenes and dates got cut out because of Gyuri's situation, and because of that I never really understood their dynamic. Their dates and interactions were barely shown, which honestly made his entire storyline feel incomplete.

What confuses me is that Gyuri was in the first 12 episodes anyway, what was the point of cutting her from the last three? They didn't have to show entire date, but we definitely needed some bits from their dates and more of Seo Won's POV. He felt like a side character in his own story by the end. I wish he had gone with So Yun. Such a bummer . They looked soo sweet together but sigh

Overall my experience was fun watching this season.

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A Palace Built on Sins

The East Palace is a finely written fantasy horror, that blends historical and horror elements into a gripping drama, obviously with it's share of flaws.

The story follows a fictional kingdom haunted by terrifying events and to stop all these with the help of a ghost-slayer and a communicator with the dead. The initial episodes dwelves more into the palace and the secret/shame of the current king. The story is intriguing and the characters are well-written. The first half keeps you engaged, and even though with the slow pacing, the narrative packs a punch.

The second half becomes a little sluggish, however, the mystery remains unsolved and hence it still keeps you hooked, despite of the repetitive loop it puts you into. The finale ends on a satisfactory note and leaves it's viewers with a possibility of Season 2.

The performance of every character was good. The show didn't focused on a single character, instead every character were used to their potential. The chemistry and pairing of ML and FL was visible and were used with great potent.

Technically, the drama has it's highs and lows. The cinematography is very good, the background music was engaging with it's variation and constant shift between traditional music and rock/metal. The biggest concern was the CGI. While the action sequences were decent, it was marred down by poor CGI. Instead of an amazing action sequences, it felt like watching a video game action.

Overall, The East Palace is a good watch, with it's combination of fantasy, action and horror with historical elements. Despite of it's technical flaws, the drama is engaging and will keep you hooked to it's narrative.

My Rating : 7.5/10

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I went into Key to the Phoenix Heart with high expectations, and I'm happy to say it did not disappoint. This is yet another example of why I never doubt Hou Minghao's script selection. He has a real knack for choosing projects with depth, and his performance here is once again compelling and nuanced.

I also have to give credit to Aimi. I've always thought she was a good actress, and she truly shines in this role. She brings a wonderful balance of strength and vulnerability to the screen, and her chemistry with the lead elevates the entire narrative.

The Production Value:
The overall production quality is top-notch. The story is engaging with a solid plot structure, and the execution is excellent—the pacing keeps you hooked. IMO they can actually stretch the stories to 30 episodes to give us proper introduction in the first part of the story

Standout Performances (Memorable Mentions):
While the leads are fantastic, several supporting actors really stood out to me:

1. The Sick Emperor: This actor portrayed a fragile ruler with such tragic complexity. Every scene he was in felt heavy with political desperation and emotional weight.
2. The Eagle King: A commanding presence! The Eagle King was fierce, loyal, and brought an incredible intensity to the screen. His action scenes were a particular highlight.
3. Ye Huanzi: Also deserving of mention—she delivered a solid and memorable performance that added great texture to the story.

That said, the rest of the cast also did a commendable job. No weak links here—everyone played their part well and contributed to making this a thoroughly enjoyable watch.

If you're looking for a well-produced drama with strong performances across the board, this is a must-watch. Highly recommended!

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A Lot of Potential, but Too Much Cringe

Secondhand embarrassment was probably what I felt the most while watching this series. There were scenes I had to fast-forward through because the embarrassment was so intense that it actually became physically painful. I can imagine it must have been difficult even for the actors themselves to deliver some of those lines.

What motivated me the most to watch this series was the fact that the main character is completely head over heels in love. I really like characters like that, but they need to learn from *Peach and Me* how to write a character who is in love without making him so weird or over-the-top.

A lot of the scenes involving the supporting characters seemed to have been extended in an attempt to create comedic moments, but, to me, they ended up being just bad and tiring. Overall, I liked the characters and I think the series had potential, but they could have been developed much better. Most importantly, some scenes could have been much less silly.

Maybe I'm just being biased, but I also think the two leads still need to improve their acting. I didn't really like them here, and I also wasn't a big fan of their acting in *Love in the Air*.

I won't be hypocritical and say that everything was bad, because it wasn't. There were moments when I genuinely found the series funny, and there were also some really good scenes. I especially want to highlight the scene in episode 9 where the two friends talk and open up to each other. I thought it was such a cute scene, especially when they both started crying.

After all these criticisms, I also have to say that I loved seeing Cooheart playing a character with a personality different from the kind of characters he usually plays. And, finally, I have to mention the opening song, which I absolutely loved.

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Warning before you read: If you're someone who believes age is "just acting" or you'll be upset that I dropped this drama solely because of the casting, this review probably isn't for you. This is my personal opinion as a viewer, and no amount of good writing, cinematography, or acting can make me overlook something that genuinely made me uncomfortable.

Wow. I really wanted to like this drama. I started Key to the Phoenix Heart because of Hou Ming Hao and Ai Mi. I like Hou Ming Hao's work, and Ai Mi has proven herself to be an incredibly talented young actress. But no matter how hard I tried, I simply could not get over one fact: Ai Mi was literally a minor while filming this.

That completely changed the way I viewed every interaction between the leads. I don't care if the story is supposed to be romantic. I don't care if they don't kiss. I don't care how amazing the political plot supposedly becomes. When your female lead is still underage during production, and she's paired romantically with an adult male lead, that's where I personally draw the line. I made it through two episodes before I dropped it.

The biggest problem wasn't even the age gap itself. It was that they genuinely looked like siblings on screen. Every scene that was clearly trying to build romantic tension had the exact opposite effect on me. Instead of butterflies, I felt uncomfortable.

And before anyone says, "They're just acting." Yes, they are. That doesn't mean viewers have to be comfortable watching it. Casting is a choice. There were countless adult actresses who could have played Xie Jia Yu. Ai Mi is talented enough that she absolutely deserves leading roles, but she deserved to have those roles opposite someone closer to her own age while she was still a teenager. This is not a criticism of either actor. Hou Ming Hao did nothing wrong. Ai Mi did nothing wrong.

The responsibility lies with whoever thought pairing an adult male lead with a minor in a romance was an acceptable casting decision. That's what bothered me. The premise honestly sounds like something I'd normally enjoy: a political marriage, power struggles, rebellion, court intrigue, and two intelligent people forced into an alliance before falling in love. On paper, this should have been exactly my kind of historical drama. But chemistry is something I have to believe.

Instead, every time Xiao Wu Yi and Xie Jia Yu shared the screen, I couldn't stop thinking that she was still legally a child when these scenes were filmed. Once that thought entered my mind, there was no coming back from it. Maybe the writing improves. Maybe the romance becomes convincing. Maybe the political storyline is incredible. I'll never know, because I couldn't make it past Episode 2. Some viewers may have no issue with this casting and genuinely enjoy the drama, and that's perfectly their choice. It just wasn't mine. For me, this wasn't a matter of preference; it was a matter of principle. There are certain casting decisions that immediately take me out of a story, and this was one of them.

I hate dropping dramas this early, especially one starring actors I genuinely like. But sometimes a drama loses you before the story even has a chance to begin. Unfortunately, Key to the Phoenix Heart did exactly that. No matter how promising the plot may be, I cannot overlook the fact that the central romance was filmed with a minor opposite an adult male lead. That is a casting decision I simply cannot support.

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Definitely a GREAT watch!

I'm easily swayed with a well-done historical Korean fantasy drama ever since Alchemy of Souls, so The East Palace immediately caught my attention. I ended up binging the entire series in one day, and I honestly don't regret sacrificing my sleep for it. I was drawn in from the very first episode; it had that eerie, mysterious world with ghosts, curses, and palace politics that blended so naturally. Gu Cheon and Saeng Gang are that classic supernatural duo, but the execution made them feel so much more than that. Every case they investigated revealed another piece of the larger mystery surrounding the East Palace, and I loved how the drama slowly unraveled its secrets instead of rushing through them.

Nam Joo Hyuk was fantastic as Gu Cheon. He carried that quiet confidence and strength without making the character feel cold or one-dimensional. You could tell there was so much weight behind everything he did, and he balanced the action scenes with emotional moments really well. Roh Yoon Seo completely won me over as Saeng Gang. She gave the character so much warmth and compassion while still feeling resilient in such terrifying situations. Her interactions with the spirits were some of my favorite scenes because they weren't just scary; they were often emotional too.

Their chemistry was another highlight, even though this was not a romantic drama. It wasn't an over-the-top romance, and I'm actually glad it wasn't. The trust they built as they worked together felt natural, and watching them slowly rely on each other made their partnership one of the strongest parts of the series. They complemented each other perfectly, with Gu Cheon's strength and experience balanced by Saeng Gang's empathy and unique connection to the dead.

Visually, this drama is gorgeous. Just wow! The way they go from the real world to the ghost/in between/spirit world is so well done, so beautiful. The cinematography, costumes, and palace sets were stunning, but what really impressed me was the atmosphere. The supernatural elements genuinely felt creepy without relying on cheap jump scares. Some scenes gave me chills, especially whenever they entered the spirit realm or encountered vengeful ghosts. The sound design also deserves credit because it added so much tension throughout the series.

I also appreciated that the ghosts weren't simply monsters to defeat. They had heartbreaking stories, and the drama took its time exploring why they lingered. Those moments added emotional depth and reminded me why I enjoy fantasy dramas that mix supernatural elements with human stories instead of focusing solely on action. The pacing worked surprisingly well for me. Every episode revealed something important, and I never felt like I was waiting for the story to move forward. Each revelation raised even more questions, making it incredibly easy to hit "Next Episode." Before I knew it, I'd finished the whole series.

Overall, The East Palace is exactly the kind of historical fantasy drama I've been hoping for. It has mystery, horror, emotional storytelling, beautiful visuals, compelling characters, and just enough romance to support the story without overshadowing it. If you loved Alchemy of Souls for its fantasy world-building and emotional character dynamics but are looking for something with a darker, more haunting atmosphere, I highly recommend giving this one a chance. It's easily one of my favorite Korean dramas of the year, and I already wish I could watch it again for the first time.

ONE MORE THING, the darn GGEOMEOKSALI is so darn cute and adorable. I need like a plush toy of that lol.

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A Healing Drama Done Right

This drama is all about growth, not just for the main leads, but for every single character, from the boys to the supporting cast. Everyone carries emotional baggage. They've been hurt, they run away, they try to hide from their pain, but eventually they find the courage to face it. At its core, this is a healing drama, and I loved almost every second of it (except for a tiny minor thing, of course).

This is my first time watching Chen Jingke, and wow... I get the hype now. The man can ACT. He doesn't rely on exaggerated emotions or dramatic crying scenes. Instead, he delivers so much through subtle expressions and body language. Wang Fa is the type of character who always wears a calm, composed mask, but Chen Jingke lets us see every emotion underneath it. He absolutely nailed the role. Plus... can we talk about Chen Jingke's visuals? 😭 He's SO manly in such a natural way, and he fits the role of Coach Wang Fa perfectly. I honestly can't imagine anyone else playing him.

And Wang Fa himself? Such a beautifully written character. He's incredibly human. He makes mistakes, owns up to them, fixes them, and keeps moving forward. He never forgets his past, but he also doesn't let it define him. He works hard to put everything back in its proper place, one step at a time.

As for Yu Shuxin, not gonna lie... I couldn't even finish SAL because I just couldn't connect with her character (and... her voice, I'm sorry 😭). But this role suits her SO much better. Lin Wanxing feels like a real young adult who's trying to survive life, deal with responsibilities, and literally drag herself out of bed to work out. She feels relatable instead of overly quirky.
And their chemistry? INSANE. They're complete opposites, yet somehow they complement each other perfectly. Their interactions feel effortless and mature instead of overly scripted or cheesy.

One thing I really appreciated was how the conflicts were written. They didn't throw unnecessary drama at us just for the sake of creating tension. The story builds naturally, starting with the boys' struggles, then Wang Fa's emotional journey, and finally Wanxing's. Every conflict serves a purpose and contributes to the characters' growth.

Speaking of the boys... THEY ARE SO PRECIOUS. They're standing at that awkward stage between being teenagers and becoming adults. They're expected to grow up, yet they still need guidance and protection. I'm so glad they had Wang Fa and Wanxing by their side throughout that journey.

The young actors also did an amazing job. They all have so much potential, and I'd love to see them in more dramas. Liu Jun especially caught my attention, he's incredibly promising. And Yan Yuchen? OMG he annoyed me SO MUCH in certain scenes... which honestly just proves how well the actor portrayed his character. 😂

Now let's talk about the romance. THIS is how you write an adult relationship. I absolutely loved how naturally Wang Fa and Wanxing interacted. Wang Fa teasing her with the QR codes never got old, and Wanxing actually continuing to send him money was hilarious 😂 Even though their relationship started under questionable circumstances, I love how they handled every obstacle that came after. Whenever they had a problem... they TALKED. No ridiculous misunderstandings dragged on for five episodes. No noble idiocy. They got enough push and pull, which is still good. Just two adults communicating, listening, and finding solutions together. More dramas need to learn from this.

The supporting characters deserve some love too. Yu Bo brought so much comedy at the right moments, and Wang Fa's dad? Sir... you are the DREAM father-in-law. 😂

Another thing that makes this drama stand out is that it's not your typical fluffy modern romance. It dives into mental health, psychological struggles, trauma, and healing in a surprisingly grounded way. The problems feel real, and so do the coping mechanisms. Sometimes running away from your problems feels easier simply because you don't know how to face them, and this drama beautifully shows that healing isn't about magically forgetting the pain. It's about learning how to live with it and move forward.

And can we appreciate that ending? I LOVE LOVE LOVE how they wrapped everything up. I didn't need a huge wedding. I didn't need some extravagant happily-ever-after.

I was completely satisfied watching Wanxing finally settle into the life she's always wanted and confidently step into a new chapter. As for Wang Fa... yes, I know you're basically a chaebol rich kid 😂, but I genuinely respect that you chose to keep working and earn your own money even though you never really had to. That says so much about who he is as a person.

Overall, this is easily one of my favorite modern C-dramas released this year. Great story. Fantastic character development. Beautiful chemistry. Excellent pacing. Wonderful execution. If you're looking for a romance that doesn't just focus on falling in love but also on healing, growth, and becoming a better version of yourself, this drama is absolutely worth your time.

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