This review may contain spoilers
you never know what’s going on inside someone’s house, huh?a cage, a hidden basement, kissing in the shower while dead bodies lie on the floor, burnt breakfast...
a rather stupid cop, a killer who can’t kill; you name it, the lie we lived in has it all.
nonetheless, i really enjoyed it. im glad kbl is investing more in the crime and thriller genre. let’s just hope they have enough budget, because as i said, all of this is happening inside of a house
8,5/10, very enjoyable but the story and characters are a 6,5/10
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Kind of a mess
This show has simply too much story for the allotted time. The way they chopped it up to fit creates a disjointed, nonsensical mess. The scenes themselves play out slowly enough- I watched the entire thing at 1.5X speed- but big developments happen quickly and abruptly with little glue in between, and sometimes key scenes are not even shown (or only a flash of them).I don’t think filler is necessarily a good thing, but proper pacing means giving ideas some time to develop, and it helps the story feel more natural. That’s all missing here. It reminds me of vertical dramas; perhaps that’s the target audience.
On top of this choppiness, other symptoms include: many things are not properly explained and links are missing; plot points are introduced and then forgotten; and the story is riddled with inconsistencies that are simply flashed over as the show runs away at breakneck speed. Maybe I missed some things because I was watching it so sped up, but I just wasn’t interested enough to pay more attention, and why bother keeping track of plot points when half of them are dropped.
The premise is, or at least starts as, a rebirth revenge. It reminds me a bit of The Double, only everything less well done. Later it shifts more into power struggles and scheming. I basically held onto these familiar story archetypes to maintain some sanity.
The FL, for example. I just tried to see her as an archetype smart and scheming FL, otherwise it would have been too much cognitive dissonance. I had to ignore the random inconsistencies in her character, like how her skills in strategy and military tactics seem to come out of nowhere, and how she randomly devolves back into being a willful teenager somewhere in the middle. Stereotyping her also helped me like her better, since I like this character pattern, and she doesn’t have much personality of her own (or it’s so inconsistent that you don’t know what it is).
The ML is a skilled fighter with a sad past and endless devotion to her. Also classic. I don’t think he’s very interesting, but at least I didn’t get cognitive dissonance from him. Zhou Yiran is such a pretty boy in this show, though. I know that’s not everyone’s type, but at least I enjoyed staring at his face.
Their romance goes through all the right motions, including tense staring contests, cute and sweet moments, exaggerated worry, and so on. I didn’t really feel it. It isn’t built up properly or meaningfully, though I think the pieces are there- it’s just poor writing emphasizing the wrong things. They do get together quickly enough, but after that their relationship really is not very interesting.
As far as the plot goes, the FL first goes through a phase where she is hell bent on revenge (country be damned). I found it somewhat confusing because she’s reborn in the past; the guy hasn’t even done anything to her yet. Every time she called it "revenge", I secretly giggled. She doesn’t even try to establish if he at that point harbors any ill intent towards her.
Luckily for us all, he is just a terrible person who is already planning terrible things. This villain is one of the most one-dimensional I have seen. At least it is easy on my emotions, but it’s not really that interesting to watch him do all the terrible things villains do.
At some point, the FL abruptly transitions into wanting to be a good ruler for the people, and the focus then is on outmaneuvering her opponents in a high-stakes power game. She is not always invincible, which is one little thing I liked. The court comprises of a bunch of annoying old men led by two hot young guys. I am not sure how such a court comes into being. Either way, these two hot young ministers are playing politics with the FL, but I could never quite figure out what they were after or what they were trying to do. Maybe I needed to pay more attention, but it was not worth the risk of brain implosion.
There are some likable-enough side characters, but mostly they didn’t get enough development for me to care. The child emperor is really adorable, especially when he acts all authoritative- but is this realistic for a 6 year old? (Or is he actually 12?)
There is also some war and battle stuff in the middle. And plenty of dramatic scenes with lots of pretty-crying. Maybe I just wasn’t into the show, but it felt kind of ridiculous to see all the streaming tears for things I didn’t find that sad.
Finally, there is some female empowerment stuff, and this is not a bad show for girl power. But proper female representation is not so rare anymore these days, so a few throwaway comments and one short empowerment arc don't really get this show any extra points.
I can’t comment much on the acting since I watched it all so sped up. I actually thought Deng Yi and Xie Yanfang’s actors did really good jobs. Styling is good, I thought they all look quite good. Production seems decent- especially since I mentally categorized this as a short drama, so within that category it is good. But I really can’t say I was paying that much attention.
To close it off, here’s what I came up with for things I liked about this show (besides that the emperor is very cute and the guys are good looking):
1) The overall premise of a strong FL who outmaneuvers her opponents is not a bad one. Other shows have done it better, but if you’ve already seen them and want more, you might like this.
2) With the fast and choppy pace, coupled with watching at 1.5X speed, I felt like I was breezing through a story very quickly, which gave me a sense of accomplishment. Whatever people like about vertical dramas probably applies here.
3) I ended up on reddit reading episode discussions- I wanted to see if it was just me thinking the show was bad- and I was not disappointed, all the haters had gathered. So it was kind of fun to see people pick apart a show I didn’t like that much.
ENDING – READ AHEAD ONLY IF YOU WANT TO KNOW, CONTAINS SPOILERS
It’s a happy ending. The last deadly challenge is solved in a cheap way. The emperor is clearly totally autonomous now that he’s 12, so the leads depart from politics to go frolic in the desert and have babies, happily ever after.
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This review may contain spoilers
Why I didn’t give it a 10
Vou escrever em português mesmo. Bom, é um reality bom, só não dei 10 pq teve muitas coisas que faltaram por parte da produção. Primeiro, no meio do reality dois participantes são “transferidos”/demitidos, cada um de um gênero. Ai nessa entra uma participante no lugar da menina, mas não entra um participante no lugar do cara. Então eles sempre ficam enfiando uma garota a mais em dinâmicas de dois e automaticamente uma garota fica sozinha no final, achei isso pessimo. Segundo, tem uma sala onde os participantes conseguem descobrir informações uns dos outros quando eles ficam no turno da noite e esse lugar quase não foi usado, então nem a gente descobre as informações da maioria dos participantes até o final, acho que eles poderiam ter usado mais essa sala. Eu geralmente não critico muito as ações dos participantes pois como é reality não acho justo julgar um roteiro já que é esperado que não seja tudo roteirizado. Mas enfim, é isso, espero que em uma próxima temporada eles melhorem isso mas no geral é divertido de assistir, vocês vão gostar.Was this review helpful to you?
Walter of time
First episodes had me curious but then I fought to finish it. Considered dropping it many times but then I thought it would improve in the end…it didn’t. It was not entertaining at all and the main couple did not spark at all. I don’t know if it was the script or their acting which was at fault. Their faces had no expressions, they did not engage in the story.Was this review helpful to you?
Perfect
I'm giving this show a perfect ten! I love both of the leads, both are gorgeous. It's a rare for BL to have an equal hot leads, and not making the other one (the uke) feminine or smaller or dumber. I love the enemy to lover trope. I love their bickering. I love how fool for love Ryo can be. I love how Zen always try to look cool.Was this review helpful to you?
If it were up to me, it would take them even longer to get together
SueaDueannao squeezed my heart and killed me in the best way. Yearning and clueless characters are truly a match made in heaven. I love that they're mostly on an even playing field and have the same hobbies. The whole "It's okay if your family sucks; I'll just share mine with you" is one of my favorite tropes. Bonus points for showing the lives and interiority of both leads equally.The acting is hit and miss. 75% of the friend group (North and Field being the exceptions) and 100% of Tiger's family members are portrayed by bad actors (especially his father and SinghaBen). Pie doesn't cry convincingly either, but otherwise the romance is adorable and nuanced enough that I choose to overlook this flaw in his acting.
The mafia stuff was part of the initial appeal for me but ended up a cringefest. Luckily these elements are mostly set dressing for the romance. This also means that the friendship and romance may be effective, but that the danger comes and goes whenever it is needed for dramatic reasons, which makes for nonsensical and awfully convenient developments.
Overall, I wish this were a 10-episode series with more budget. While the slow burn is delicious, the denouement is rushed. Just imagine if we saw Dueannao realize his feelings instead of having to listen to him monologuing his change of heart to North! But since SueaDueannao wound up being my favorite dynamic in the Fourever You universe, my rose-colored glasses stay on, and the rating reflects my bias.
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One of the best romcom I have watched
Why this drama is underrated ,mind u I got this drama suggestion after searching so many things 😭😭I'm glad I have found this drama ..I loved this drama so much .one of the best romcom and the bond between sisters or brothers or maid master is cute to watch ,also funny comedy in between and cat fight between main leads..their acting is so insane, specially male lead.Was this review helpful to you?
I did NOT expect this--This is amazing.
Okay. To be honest, I watched this with no expectations. Many new companies often fail to capture what people really want and come back to. However, Mook and her co-partner for FRT ent did a great job finding pairs with great chemistry and a good storyline. Mind you, almost more than half of the cast are rookie actors. You wouldn't even be able to tell once you watch Shades! Shades is very different from other school gl romances, I can def tell you that haha. They balanced 3 storylines perfectly (although I would want more JaneNano screen time cus their chemistry is insane), the cinematography is crazy good, and so is the editing. I like that the story humanizes flawed characters instead of reducing them to perfect stories, allowing viewers to not only relate with them but also empathize with their motivations even when their actions are wrong. You don't agree with what they do, but you can't help but root for them–which is amazing, considering how many GLs are unrealistic when it comes to "real life" issues (imo). Although this show highkey causes me stress because of all the character issues 😭, there is almost comedic relief and some scenes.. (iykyk). These new CPs have a chokehold on me (PuyfaiPloy, NikyEngland, and OpalMint), I can't wait to see them grow more popular as actors, also love the entire cast! Can't wait for season 2!Was this review helpful to you?
My wishes
Loved every single bit of it. but I am hoping that the 2nd leads may get their own drama. Because they were just toxic here but their chemistry was damn good. And the ML and FML are just perfect. Loved them together. I will be waiting for the story of Fan Channing and Bao'er as they grow up. I saw some where that the main book continues up when they grow up. Don't know if its true may need to search it up a bit.Was this review helpful to you?
jdrama vs kdrama
I went into this thinking that I should watch this as a form of loyalty to the kdrama. But it was different and they conveyed the story in their own way. So it's different then the kdrama , but in essence they share the same story. But if I were to be asked to watch only one of the drama again it would be the jdrama.Was this review helpful to you?
She's a bunny.
Finally watched this. I was in a slump and this just cured it. Its funny, she's just a bunny and that kinda heals you. BUT there are serious problems that we may face in our life hidden between their interactions. All in all what I've learned from this drama is that communication is the life line of any relationship.Was this review helpful to you?
SHE NEVER GIVE UP ON HIM NO MATTER WHAT
It's feels unreal 😲 how she never given up on him on their friendship and love and how she pulled him form someone's identity in which he was leaving and the I will ready to sacrifice my happiness for my friend (2leads) honestly I enjoyed it was a perfect story line with childhood to adulthood they showcased how challanging is the world and it is completely opposite to what u have imagined when u came out from ur comfort zone and i don't need to talk about acting it's always perfect Zhao zinmai jiyanglinghai played perfectly and every thing was top-notchif you are here i recommend you to watch this u will enjoy
THANKYOU 😄
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Quirky and straightforward, but...
It took me a long time to watch this adaptation because I kept expecting it to be the same as the original. Looking back, I probably should have watched it sooner.In my opinion, this remake is actually a bit better than the Thai version. As the headline suggests, the Korean adaptation is more straightforward and focused, which works to its advantage. I appreciated how the pacing never felt dragging; instead, it reinforced the show's direct approach and allowed the actors' performances to shine more effectively. Furthermore, the division of screen time between the two couples was balanced enough for the audience to understand their individual stories and relationships.
Technically speaking, one of the strongest aspects of this series is the chemistry between the lead actors. They were quirky and charismatic enough to keep my attention and make me eager to click on the next episode. Their interactions establish a strong and believable foundation for the romance. Although the script relies on several familiar romance clichés—particularly the possessive-boyfriend trope of "if I can't have him, then I'll badmouth him"—the actors manage to pull it off without making it feel overly cringeworthy.
The second leads were equally enjoyable to watch, portraying a softer and more vulnerable kind of romance. Yoo Kyeom's golden-retriever energy complemented Sun Woo's personality throughout the series, creating a dynamic that was both charming and engaging. Their relationship added another layer to the story and kept me invested throughout the show's runtime.
The series' biggest strength is undoubtedly its lighthearted nature. With only eight episodes running at approximately thirty minutes each, it is an easy and enjoyable watch that can be finished in a single sitting. However, this short runtime is also one of the drama's greatest weaknesses. Several plot points feel underexplored and underdeveloped, while the relationship-building occasionally feels rushed. Some transitions between scenes are so abrupt that it becomes difficult to tell whether a scene is a flashback or a continuation of the previous one. Important emotional developments happen too quickly, preventing certain storylines from reaching their full potential. In many ways, this adaptation sacrifices depth in favor of pacing.
Nevertheless, this remains the stronger adaptation. It is an enjoyable drama that explores love in a lighthearted and entertaining way while delivering enough charm and chemistry to keep viewers invested. Despite its shortcomings, Why R U? (2023) offers a sweet and refreshing take on the BL genre that is well worth watching.
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A good mediocre show...
To be fair, the book wasn't much better and shared most of the serie's weaknesses (in fact the series was better in some aspects). This show is an enjoyable enough watch overall and I'm a sucker for the long-time friends trope so I'm being generous with my rating.The main problems though? Both the writing and the acting left much to be desired. I could go on about it but I feel like others in the reviews already expressed my own opinions pretty well. I will say though that some plotlines absolutely needed to be cut and were sooo irrelevant to the story (cough cough mick and tul thrown in in the last eps)
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Great Story, Underappreciated
I may be a little addicted to C-Dramas, and this one's very good. I came here to comment because I was surprised to see it being torn up so savagely. First, to appreciate the plot, you need to understand that the supporting roles sum up to a whole bunch of very flawed characters. There is a strong theme that runs through the drama that good people do bad things, and sometimes they find someone who loves them in spite of it all. There is a also a theatrical element to the cinematography, at times giving the feel of a burlesque, musical, or film noir piece. In addition, certain plot elements are unapologetically far-fetched, such as the FL's extraordinary sense of taste, her cousin's overnight fish gutting, and the lengths characters will go to for revenge. Initially, I was a little concerned about whether the series could pull off a romance between an immature, annoying girl and a stern, experienced man who is struggling with his own demons. As it turns out, their story develops slowly and sweetly throughout the drama. Theirs is a deeply affectionate and playful relationship, only perhaps lacking an element of passion to give the outcome long-term credibility. Ethan Juan is, of course, a treat for the eyes. The kind yet fiery disposition of the FL's uncle plus the affectionate banter between her parents are elements that add depth and contrast to the web of subplots. Bottom line, this drama is well worth watching, as long as the viewer can appreciate its plot complexity, imperfect characterization, and quirky brand of humor.Was this review helpful to you?
