Reviews

It really was poisonous

First of all, Nam and Thawat who were supporting characters made more of an impression on me than the MLs.

Nam is so so so manipulative. The things she was doing which actually triggered me. As much as I hate her character, no one deserves a miscarriage. I think this stemmed from being unloved as I didn't see her with any friends or anyone apart from Pat so when Thawat wasn't working out she latched on the next available thing which was Pat and she didn't care whether Pat wanted it or not.

Thawat wasn't much better so Prem, really dodged the bullet there. The fact he forced Prem to come out to her parents by leaking her photos all because Prem didn't want him after he cheated and got Nam pregnant. It reminded me when I nearly got caught a couple of occasions. My family is anti LGBTQIA+.



Pat actually grew on me, at first I never liked her as she was so pushy especially as she knew the situation and instead of giving Prem time and space, she was bombarding her 24/7. I knew she wasn't dead. I've watched too many drams now to be fooled by that trick. But as the episodes went on I realised she was caring, kind, sensitive and brave and stood up for what she believed in and fought for their love.

Prem, I love her friends and hope to find that sort of friendship myself one day but nothing really stood out for me.

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Don't let the title fool you this is not any kind of study group you have seen before

My Rating is 10/10

I can't believe I waited so long to watch this.

I'd known about Study Group for a while and had heard plenty of good things, but the relatively short episode format kept putting me off. Now that I've finally watched it, I can honestly say I loved it. It deserves any hype it receives.

One of my favorite things about the series is Yoon Ga-min (main character). He has abilities that are superhuman. He punches people through walls, launches himself through the air, and moves with unbelievable speed and strength. What I love, though, is that the drama never treats him like a superhero. He doesn't have powers from an experiment, another planet, or magic. Instead, everyone simply accepts that he's a human who trained so incredibly hard that he can do things no normal person should be capable of. It gives the action a larger-than-life feel. If a fight erupts and he is not there, you and all the characters are just waiting for him to arrive. He'll fix this nonsense.

At its core, this is a "bullies get served" story—a satisfying battle of good versus evil—and it delivered exactly the kind of justice-filled moments I was hoping for.

If you're looking for romance, though, this isn't that kind of drama. In fact, I'd recommend treating it as a "skip the romance" series. There are a handful of cute moments that make you think certain characters might develop romantic feelings, but the story never fully goes in that direction. That applies to both the student characters and the adults. The focus stays on friendship, loyalty, standing up for what's right, and helping each other become better people.

The fight scenes are exciting, the friendships are genuinely heartwarming, and I loved watching everyone grow stronger—not just physically, but as people. Overall, Study Group was an incredibly fun watch that I enjoyed far more than I expected.

Spoilers

Yoon Ga-min (main character)

I absolutely loved Yoon Ga-min. It was so cute and genuinely amusing how seriously he took protecting anyone who wanted to study. You want to study? Great. He's got your back. If that means fighting an entire army of bullies so you can do your homework in peace, then that's exactly what he'll do.

He had such an innocent personality in the best possible way. He may not have been able to take his incredible brain and translate it into excelling at standard subjects, but he had a brilliance in the way he worked with people. An emotional intelligence that was way beyond what could be measured by standard means. I also loved how his abilities were portrayed. He could do things that seemed almost impossible. But they weren't because he trained others in small pieces of what he knew. So it was achievable. Just like you had the sense that with his absolute determination some day he would figure it out and do well in his studies.

I also loved that he never truly lost. He might get knocked down, exhausted, or overwhelmed, but he was never out. He always got back up. I don't like when the character gets beaten. It is disappointing. And I have seen some where they get beaten time and again and finally get strong. I sometimes like that but I more often like when the hero is just strong. And you can be sure, if they show up things will change for the better.

One of my absolute favorite parts of the action was his uncle's forbidden moves. Every time Ga-min looked like he was finally beaten, you'd think, "Well...this might actually be it." Then he'd be lying on the ground, catch his breath, calm himself down, and suddenly decide this opponent deserved one of his uncle's forbidden techniques. The entire fight would immediately swing back in his favor. It added so much intrigue and excitement because I was always wondering, "Okay...what incredible move is he going to pull out next?" It kept the fights feeling fresh instead of repetitive.

One of my favorite surprises was Lee Mi-kyeong (Ga-min's mother). I wasn't expecting her to be such a badass, but seeing her do a little bully-stomping of her own was incredibly satisfying.

The Study Group

I loved the study group itself and how everyone eventually came together. They made their own family like friend group. The judo girl even said it one time. Let's see how "study group", a team that works together, fairs against those that do not. Each member had their own reason for joining, so it never felt forced, and at the core of the reason was always hope and desire for a better future.

The sweet girl of the group wasn't much of a fighter, but that never stopped her. If one of her friends—or even a complete stranger—needed help, she would throw herself into danger anyway. She had so much heart, and that made her easy to root for.

The smartest member of the group joined very reluctantly, but becoming part of the study group ended up being almost therapeutic for him. Watching him slowly open up and learn to trust other people was one of my favorite character arcs.

The boy with the strawberry-colored hair originally cared much more about becoming a great fighter than becoming a great student. He wanted to climb the ranks, but Yoon Ga-min completely changed his outlook. Seeing him gradually decide that studying actually mattered was such a satisfying journey. His unwavering loyalty to Ga-min became one of the best bromances in the entire drama.

I also thought he had a little bit of chemistry with the girl who worked because her brother was in prison. Whether that was intentional or not, I enjoyed their interactions.

That girl ended up being one of my favorite characters too. She was such a tsundere. She never acted particularly excited about anything, but underneath it all she cared deeply about the people around her. I especially loved when the sweet girl came to bring her back. She acted like it wasn't a big deal, but you could tell how much it meant to her.

Okay I will admit it. They were all my favorite characters. Every member of the study group was amazing in their way. Including their teacher. And the police officer. It takes a special level of courage to go up against people that enjoy seeing others suffer.

Winning People Over

One of my favorite things about this drama was how Yoon Ga-min changed people simply by believing in them.

The blond former gang member started out as one of the enemy's soldiers, but Ga-min saw something better in him. He cared about him, cared about his grandfather, and recognized that—even if it was buried very deep—he genuinely wanted to study and have a better future. Ga-min managed to bring that part of him to the surface, and I loved watching that transformation.

I also loved the blond boy's grandfather. Even while he was dying, he still wanted to keep learning. He recognized what kind of person Ga-min was and entrusted him with helping his grandson find the right path. Honestly, he couldn't have picked a better person for that job.

The Finale

One of my favorite moments in the finale was when the sweet girl gathered all of the former bullies and troublemakers that Yoon Ga-min had helped throughout the series. Watching them all come together to protect the teacher was incredibly satisfying because it showed just how many lives Ga-min had changed without even realizing it.

I was also really happy that the true mastermind—the chaebol student who controlled everything through his family's construction company—actually faced consequences. Too often villains like that get away with everything, so seeing him finally disciplined was very satisfying.

I also loved that everyone continued improving throughout the series. One moment that especially stood out was when Ga-min coached his friend through a fight instead of simply winning it himself. He helped build his friend's confidence and let him experience victory on his own. He also taught him how to protect himself. That perfectly summed up who Ga-min was as a character.

Ending

The ending was definitely on the softer, more open-ended side. It was obviously written with the possibility of a second season in mind, which is normally one of my biggest pet peeves. One of the things I love most about Korean dramas is that they're usually complete stories with a planned ending, so I don't like feeling as though I'm waiting for another season that may never happen.

Normally that would have bothered me a lot more, but I loved Study Group enough that I could forgive it this time. The ending still felt satisfying while leaving the door open for more, and if we do get a second season, I'll absolutely be watching.

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Finding Spring After Winter and The Warmth Hidden in Winter

I went into In Your Radiant Season knowing almost nothing about it, and I'm really glad I did. I usually avoid reading synopses because I love discovering a story as it unfolds, and this drama rewarded that approach from its very first episode. The way it introduced winter completely caught me off guard. Winter has always been portrayed as the season of love, longing, and quiet romance in so many novels, dramas, and poems I've experienced, but this drama offered a completely different perspective. It became a season of grief, healing, and survival, while spring symbolized hope and new beginnings. That fresh outlook immediately drew me into the story.

At its heart, this is a gentle healing drama about learning to live again after loss. It deals with grief, anxiety, trauma, loneliness, and regret, but it never feels emotionally overwhelming. Instead, it quietly comforts you through every episode. The story reminds us that healing isn't something dramatic that happens overnight. It comes through family, friendships, small conversations, and finding people who slowly become your safe place.

The family dynamics were easily one of my favorite parts of the drama. Watching the three sisters navigate life together after everything they had been through felt incredibly natural. Their bond wasn't built on constant emotional speeches but on quiet understanding and unconditional support. They argued, teased each other, worried endlessly, and stood beside each other whenever it mattered. Their relationship felt authentic and became the emotional backbone of the series.

The biggest surprise for me, however, was Grandma. Kim Na Na became my favorite character almost immediately. She wasn't simply there to give wise advice or take care of the younger generation. She had her own dreams, regrets, love story, and emotional journey. Her romance was one of the sweetest storylines in the drama, proving that love, companionship, and new beginnings aren't reserved only for the young. She also had incredible style. Her wardrobe stood out throughout the series, and honestly, I loved the styling of the entire cast. Since many of the characters work in creative fields, their clothing felt fashionable without looking unrealistic. Everyone looked effortlessly stylish while still feeling like real people.

Sunwoo Chan quickly became one of my favorite male leads. Chae Jong Hyeop gave such a warm and heartfelt performance. Chan constantly smiles, jokes around, and brings comfort to everyone around him, but underneath that cheerful personality is someone carrying years of quiet pain. What I appreciated most was that the drama never used his trauma for cheap emotional shock. Instead, it slowly revealed his past piece by piece, allowing us to understand why he became the person he is. His decision to keep choosing happiness despite everything life had taken from him made him feel incredibly human.

Lee Sung Kyung was equally wonderful as Ha Ran. I've always preferred her in quieter, emotionally restrained roles, and this may honestly be my favorite performance from her. Ha Ran struggles with anxiety and constantly fears losing the people she loves. What made her so relatable was that she recognized those fears herself. She communicated openly instead of letting misunderstandings pile up, something I wish more romance dramas would do. She wasn't written as a perfect heroine. She was flawed, vulnerable, and trying her best, which made her easy to understand.

The romance between Chan and Ha Ran develops exactly the way I enjoy most. It isn't driven by endless misunderstandings or dramatic sacrifices. Instead, it grows naturally through trust, communication, and spending time together. Their feelings become obvious long before either of them says anything aloud. Watching them slowly become each other's source of comfort was far more satisfying than any grand confession could have been. I especially loved how Ha Ran gradually realized that despite Chan's cheerful personality, he rarely allowed anyone to see his own emotional struggles.

The supporting characters were equally lovable. The sisters each had their own meaningful story, and I genuinely enjoyed seeing love portrayed across different generations. The teenage couple was incredibly sweet, the grandmother's romance added warmth, and even the coffee shop became a comforting place that seemed to heal everyone who walked through its doors. And of course, Genius the dog absolutely stole every scene he appeared in.

Visually, the drama is stunning without trying too hard. The soft cinematography, warm lighting, beautiful color grading, and peaceful settings create such a calming atmosphere. The soundtrack quietly supports every emotional moment without becoming overpowering. It all works together to create a drama that feels gentle from beginning to end.

The pacing is intentionally slow, but for me, it mostly worked. This is a character-driven story rather than a plot-driven one. It takes its time exploring emotions instead of rushing from one dramatic twist to another. There were a few moments where the repeated flashbacks felt slightly excessive, and I wish the second couple had received a little more development, but those were relatively small complaints in an otherwise consistently enjoyable experience.

What stayed with me most is the drama's message that the brightest people often carry the deepest scars. We rarely know what someone has survived simply by looking at them. In Your Radiant Season understands that healing doesn't erase pain. It simply teaches us how to live alongside it with the help of the people who choose to stay.

By the final episode, I realized this wasn't really a drama about romance. It was about family, healing, communication, second chances, and slowly finding warmth after surviving your longest winter. Somehow, despite taking place during one of the coldest seasons, it became one of the warmest dramas I've watched.

It's a quiet little hidden gem that deserves far more attention than it's received.

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Waste of Time

Blooms For Her was not a good drama. I am sorry I watched it. The female lead was an assassin and never had a fight; she seemed scared to fight. She wanted to be with the once cripple prince, but left him at the end. I believe when she heard him command that one of the minister's family be wiped out, it brought back too many memories of her family being wiped out.

The prince in the wheelchair was so cruel to the female lead character at the beginning. He poisoned her, threatened her and belittled her (understatement on this one). When he started to become more friendly towards her, she was going to stay with him. She decided to leave him at the end, to be free.

I believe that the main characters loved each other... She even said that they should meet again in the next life, but why?

Do not waste your time on this nonsensical drama.

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thoughts on the first ep

I’d been looking forward to this drama ever since the cast was announced, so I had high expectations. Here are my thoughts on the first episode: the pacing felt very rushed—so much happened in just the first 20 minutes. It’s strange, but I kept feeling like I was watching a *drama*—obviously it is one, but every second I felt like I was watching actors perform rather than seeing a story unfold. Everything felt so comical that I couldn't get immersed in the plot, and I’m not really feeling the chemistry between the actors yet. I guess it is just the first episode, but I’ve never felt this odd watching a drama before, haha. I’ll give it a chance, though I’m not sure if this personal impression of mine will improve or not.

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It’s not scary, even though it belongs to the horror genre

I watched it because I was looking forward to Nam Joo-hyuk’s return to acting. It wasn't exactly terrifying—certain creatures appeared, but there weren't any jump scares. I think the decision to leave romance out of the story was the right move, yet the leads still managed to have great chemistry; I loved it. I have to say the acting was good, but the standout was Jang Young-nam, who played the queen; she was truly brilliant. It gave me the feeling that the royals needed to pay for their actions rather than going unpunished, but then I reflected on how, in reality, things sometimes happen that way—karma doesn't always step in. I’d say this drama is a mix of *Sweet Home*, *Kingdom*, and *If Wishes Could Kill*.

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Captivating from start to finish

Unlike many Chinese series, this one has no slow moments; it is so addictive that, at the end of each episode, you immediately want to watch the next one. The series is neither too long nor too short—twenty episodes is the perfect length. The two leads (Wang Chu Ran and Zhang Wan Yi) are beautifull and endearing, have great on-screen chemistry, and deliver excellent performances. The personalities of the new Emperor (Chang Hua Sen) —who is indecisive and tries too hard to appease or play with opposing factions—and the Empress (Yuan Yu Xuan) - initially shy, lacking self-confidence, and with inferiority complex - are both interesting and original. The bond that gradually unites them, strengthening two individuals who are otherwise fragile yet complementary, is well conceived and portrayed. A more annoying element is the subplot involving the Prince’s physician friend and the porcelain merchant; their relationship issues add a touch of farce, but these scenes drag on for too long.

Finally, the sets and costumes are stunning; the beauty of the lead actors and their nuanced acting evoke a fairy-tale atmosphere, making the whole production a visual delight.

The only weak point is the sudden shift in the female lead's personality when she regains her memory. At that moment, she transforms from a gentle young woman into someone cruel and brutal—a complete departure from her previous self. Later, after a (too) long period of time, once she forgives the Prince and acknowledges the sincerity and constancy of his feelings, she abruptly reverts to being a gentle, tender wife. This lacks logic: either the director failed to properly set up this personality shift (leaving us wondering about the sudden violence or unexpected gentleness), or Wang Churan’s acting is unconvincing, making the change feel implausible. The personality change is anyway too extreme and exaggerated in my point of view.

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I liked the concept, much less its execution

This BL featured a very interesting premise, with one of the lead regressing to a younger child self. Like the saying says "it takes a village to raise a child", and indeed it takes quite a bit of people to take care of "Sun", the child figure into which sunshiny elementary school teacher Solar, one of the main character regressed to. Not only his boyfriend, Pobmek, disgrunted elementary school teacher but also colleagues, friends, students...all rise to the occasion to support their beloved teacher, facing his difficult (and completely fantasy-like) condition.

The premise was interesting, the scenario managed to feel not too heavy nor too light, the script thread quite successfully a fine needle regarding the mental state of Solar, making a point at making sure that Pobmek his boyfriend never feels as taking advantage of him...All good points for the show, a colorful production and pretty good acting from the leads...However, unfortunaly, despite all the positives, I could not help to feel that there were not enough material to hold in a consistent way the series for its full duration. A lot of scenes felt like fillers, and the tone of the serie was overwhelmingly fantasy like, making it very difficult to take anything seriously and at the end to even care when the story got more serious at points. The chemistry between Perth and Santa was very good and they are solid in their respectives roles. I wish I could say the same for the remaining cast, but it was more bland and even awkward for some of them.

I would recommend this to people that are looking for a cute BL, quite fantasy like, with an interesting premise. I regret its lightness at time, which prevented me to feel fully invested to what's happened on screen, but there are a lot of qualities to the series that can make it worth your time if you enjoy colorful production, and are not searching for realism or a lot of deepness in the resolution.

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Notes from someone who thought the drama was good, but could've been better...

*** BEWARE OF SPOILERS...READ AT YOUR OWN RISK ***

Cora’s review basically sums up all my thoughts. The drama is at its best when examining how fiction informs reality and vice versa. The first big "reveal" in front of the hotel was really good, but the drama loses itself with the rest of the makjang elements.

Lee Gang’s motivation also waters down the entire thing. Him embarking on an intricate, 12-year revenge plan after meeting Mun Oh ONCE was underwhelming. It didn't justify his hatred, much less his commitment to destroying Mun Oh's entire life.

Overall, I enjoyed the drama. I was torn about whether to give it a 7 or 7.5 out of 10 because I LOVED episodes 2 and 3, but the longer my review got, the more I realized a 7 would do just fine . The acting was fantastic. Choi Min Sik carried the drama on his back, and at times his performance gave me goosebumps. That's why he's a respected veteran. Choi Hyun Wook held his own, and Jin Kyung, who played Mun Oh’s wife, Hyeon Suk, also delivered a noteworthy performance. I really felt her vulnerability and long-suffering. The suspense was good, and so was the script, although at times the dialogue was a bit heavy-handed. The pacing was decent, but the exploration of Mun Oh's feelings of inadequacy, ego, jealousy, and obsession would’ve felt less…shallow if we'd gotten an episode or two somewhere in the beginning showing his college experience with an emphasis on his first love (How did it develop? How long did he pine? What else did he do besides give her that book of poetry?) and budding rivalry with Su Hun (similar questions). What about Hyeon Suk's miscarriages? The drama drops this bomb on us, and never goes any deeper. That's one of the hardest things for a couple to go through yet the audience never finds out how Mun Oh feels about it. Unless he's a complete sociopath, he would feel SOMETHING. Did he even want kids??? All of this was necessary for a fuller, more grounded and impactful story, but because "Notes from the Last Row" only had 6 episodes to get the job done, its potential is never fully realized.

Bonus Thought: Am I the only one who thought the English songs they chose to play during certain scenes were corny??? The original score and background music were great, but the song they played when Mun Oh was running through campus feeling "liberated" in episode 1 almost ruined the scene. It sounded like something I'd hear on pop radio on a Top 25 countdown or something. The lyrics were so on-the-nose. There were a couple of other cheesy English songs that made me wrinkle my nose, but I can't recall them right now. It felt like the music supervisor was trying to be cool, and ran the songs through Google translate to see if the lyrics matched the scene.

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Beautiful

GagaOOLala: https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/1655/private-lessons-2019

I'm not the biggest fan of teachers/professors and students dating. Not because of the age gap, but rather because of the kind of dynamic it all creates.
Still, I didn't mind it here, mostly due to it not even being that big here, they rarely ever show them interacting the way a professor and student usually do. Main leads have a rather relaxed and casual dynamic more than anything. Which was nice to see in a way.
Overall this movie is pretty good and cute, and with how short it is, it's definitely worth the watch.

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Oh Jung-Se & Lee Jae-In shine in this campy old school action comedy

This has a campy old school flavor & a cast of familiar faces. The Older American pop music they use in the OST was alot of fun & works well with what's going on! I wasn't much interested in the plot, but I was curious to see Oh Jung-se do something different than the villain stuff he's been doing lately.
I gave it a rather low score because it's just not the genre that I really enjoy. That said, I did watch it once by myself & then a second time soon after to share it with a friend. There is nothing "sloggy" (draggy) about this as it moves along at a good pace, that sacrifices a bit of continuity if you aren't paying attention. The father daughter duo are the most interesting to watch & really Lee Jae-in as the daughter really stands out as she channels her inner effervescent middle schooler .

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Rivals-to-lovers done right ! The atmosphere. The plot. The angst.

I really enjoyed this BL featuring two colleagues having a rival relationship and falling in love with each other. Their background was quite layered and the jealousy factor was great at adding spices to their dynamic. The progressive shift with their constant "battles" to up each other to a more tender relationship was amazing to follow and very butterflies inducing. It is the kind of show you regret starting while airing (like I did) because you would want to binge it.

The actors did a great job at portraying their characters : Zen (played by Sato Yusuke) with his tsundere and cute side, and Ryo (played by Hori Kaito) with his caring and worry side. The story is not just about love but also about rivalry, and that both characters are very much protective of their relationship but not necessarily on the same aspects. I think their nuance acting really manage to bring to life the various aspects of their personnalities and their bonds.

The pace of the drama and the opening/ending song was great overall, but the finale fumbled unfortunately a bit the ball in terms of production and directing, with some overpowering unstrumental that took me out of several scenes and critical dialogs because of how obnoxious it was. That's unfortunate, because it was not disturbing in any of the other episodes.

I would strongly recommend this to people that enjoy rivals-to-lovers trope as well as office romance. It has solid acting and the romance build up is very swoony.

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