Reviews

Pyramid Game, one of the best in its genre, but Baek Harin deserved better

Pyramid Game is honestly one of the strongest dramas in the school survival/psychological thriller category. The concept is addictive, the tension stays high throughout, and the way it shows bullying and power games inside a classroom is really intense and well done. It’s the kind of show that keeps you watching just to see how far things can go.

But for me, the most interesting part was definitely Baek Harin. She’s such a complex and intriguing character, and every scene with her feels important. The actress did a great job making her unpredictable and layered, not just a simple “villain” type character.

That’s why her ending in the drama felt a bit disappointing. She honestly deserved better writing and a more impactful conclusion. Compared to the webtoon, where her story is handled in a more satisfying way, the drama version feels incomplete. At least in the webtoon, her ending gives her character more weight and closure, which fits her better.

Overall though, Pyramid Game is still one of the best in its category. Just wish Baek Harin had the ending she really deserved.

Leia Mais

Me conquistou desde o início. <3

Gostei de todos os personagens, principais e secundários, porque cada um tinha sua própria história para contar. As três irmãs foram maravilhosas, cada uma representando uma fase da vida de forma única. Gostei de todos os casais, porém gostaria de ter visto um pouco mais da irmã com o secretário, mas isso foi apenas um detalhe.
O casal principal teve um desenvolvimento lindo, com uma trajetória de cura e reencontro emocionante. Sem contar a declaração final, que foi linda demais!

Abordou temas importantes, como recomeços, traumas, família, segundas chances e apoio, mostrando como cada um, no seu tempo e à sua maneira, se ajudou a atravessar cada estação, desde o inverno difícil até a primavera feliz. 🌸

Com uma história profunda, bem desenvolvida e um final fechadinho, com certeza entrou para a lista dos favoritos do ano.

Leia Mais

I only finished this show because of one character, and honestly that says a lot.

I’m not particularly into GL, and I wouldn’t even really call this a GL drama anyway. It tries to be a psychological thriller, which is usually my kind of thing, but the execution felt chaotic and all over the place from start to finish. I won’t spoil anything, but the story just didn’t hold together well.

The only reason I kept going was Hyeri’s character. She was easily the strongest part of the show. Her performance was so good that I found myself actually invested in her scenes, trying to understand her motives and what she would do next. She carried every moment she was in.

The other lead didn’t work for me at all. In fact, I remember starting this drama last year and dropping it halfway through the first episode because I wasn’t interested, mainly because of that character. I only came back to it after seeing Hyeri’s name and deciding to give it another try.

In the end, I pushed through the entire series just because of her performance. She was the only reason I stayed engaged. I even checked out some of her other work afterward, but nothing really hit the same. Still, this role stood out a lot, and I hope she continues doing darker psychological thriller roles like this in the future.

Leia Mais

Compelling story with some missed opportunities

I started watching Ticket to Heaven with some trepidation. A BL with a religious theme? Seemed like it had the potential to be great or a complete disaster. Here are my pros and cons:

PROS

ACTING. After watching them in mostly light fare, I was pleasantly surprised and impressed at the range of both Gemini and Fourth. I also liked many of the other actors. There were some serious scenes that conveyed real emotion.

POSITIVE TRANS REPRESENTATION. I don't know the name of the actor who played the trans character in Ep. 6, but she did a phenomenal job of creating a sympathtic, positive role model.

RESPECT FOR THEME. I appreciated that the story maintained respect for the Catholic religion while exploring the difficulties of young gay men growing up in that environment.

LENGTH OF SERIES. Six episodes felt just right to me.

CONS

DEPTH. While I was fine with the length of the series, I would have liked it more if it had gone deeper into Tan's struggles, which could have been addressed in place of certain other scenes, which dragged on and didn't offer anything important to the plot.

TIME JUMP. I get it, the story dated from 1996. But when they jumped 20 years at the end, it wasn't believable at all, with the exception of the Father with his added face wrinkles (good job there, makeup crew!). There was a reference to Kongdech having some grey hair. They tried to age Barth with different glasses and clothes (didn't work), and Tan looked exactly the same. No way someone is going to look the same after 20 years. They should have used different actors at the end, to make it credible.

DISAPPEARING CHARACTERS. Barth's mom was great. It would have been nice to know what happened to her. And what happened to the guy who was bullying Barth in Ep. 1? It would have been satisfying to see him get his comeuppance, like seeing him tied to an anthill and covered with honey or something...

While I feel there were some missed opportunities for a more powerful presentation, overall it was a pleasant experience for me.

I'm giving it 7/10.

Leia Mais

Something nice to watch when you're bored

Was feeling bored and honestly didn't know what to do, decided to watch this movie since i came across it, it was definitely cute and funny.

The introduction for Kanna was definitely funny, can't imagine how many she has been rejecting, her fujoshing out at the rooftops was something, the brainrot filter is a hilarious name but I definitely see it HAHA.

Was expecting Mihara and Sorami to get together, but I definitely understood Mihara rejecting him during the moment, it was a pity but Sorami was definitely still confused and unsure to fully admit being Gay himself, Mihara has definitely went through that same struggle himself but found his way to accept himself, and with Kanna too.

Speaking of Kanna, her confessing she had liked Mihara was definitely surprise, but considering he was the only one that truly understood what Kanna truly is, it was bound to happen that she'd actually love him, she knew it was doomed at the start, but she was brave enough to honestly confess that all out to him, but i'm happy overall they still stuck around for each other.

Because who wouldn't it be but just them? definitely adored their friendship, thought it was weirdly funny she wanted Mihara and Sorami to have a bad ending? was questioning it throughout the movie, but it was funny it backfired when both confessed to each other at the aquarium.

But OMGG!!! I was definitely in for Mihara and the guy from the volleyball club, they were definitely a cute pair, like dude did you see the way Nishiyanagi hold Mihara's hand while giving back the glasses???? and the convenient can making Mihara slip into him checked it for me, I'd love to see a spin-off with them! It would be interesting......

Leia Mais

Great potential, but little time to develop it properly.

The first few episodes were great. I was totally hooked by the plot! There was so much being built up and happening that it was impossible not to get completely absorbed in the storyline.

But then, I felt that towards the home stretch, things started to feel too rushed; there were important scenes that simply seemed to have been cut. And despite the good cinematography, I believe *Ashes to Crown*'s biggest problem is the lack of time for development.

It was a really good plot, but there are loose ends. The characters and the storyline had potential, especially the female lead. She was intelligent and played the court game well, yet she also suffered and faced hardships, which made it easy to empathize with her. However, I think both she and the other characters could have been much better developed, explored, and fleshed out.

Deng Yi, for example. He was an interesting character, but no other aspect of him was explored beyond what was explicitly stated. His relationship with his mother could have been explored and built upon to further his character development. I also have to admit I thought he would have a romance with Chu Zao's cousin. Perhaps I was simply mistaken? Not to mention I was confused when he suddenly switched to Chu Zao's side after having conspired with Xiao Xun. And yes, I know it was said he did it so the female lead would spare his mother, but... knowing the older woman was innocent, wouldn't she have spared her anyway? Deng Yi is a character with potential. He has a strong bond with his mother, his weak point, which humanizes him, unlike Xie Yan Fang. I believe that aspect should have been utilized for a narrative arc.

Xie Yan Fang and Xiao Xun are total villains; they don't seem to have empathy for anyone. In fact, they are ready to eliminate anyone who stands in their way. However, I also feel that these characters lacked depth and exploration.

Although—I must admit—it was interesting and intriguing to see these three, along with the female lead, navigating the court's political games, I felt that even this aspect, specifically after she returned from the border campaign—was rushed.

Finally, I also felt the absence of more characters. Even though the plot moved forward with the main cast, there were practically no subplots involving secondary characters.

Another thing that confused me was the storyline regarding the female lead's mother. She appeared and died just as quickly, sacrificing herself in a predictable manner. I found it unnecessary. If the drama didn't have the time to deepen and develop the relationship between her and her mother, it would have been better to leave that part out and focus on more important plot elements.

Xie Yan Lai was a good male lead. He was brave and protective of the female lead, yet not invincible, which was a positive point. Just as we were introduced to the female lead's past, we were also shown his history and his relationship with his brother, Xie Yan Fang. However, he simply disappears for a significant amount of time after becoming a border general. I got the impression that he underwent some character development, but it was barely explored because he was absent for so long.

Aside from all that, the performances by both the main and supporting casts were excellent! Chen Du Ling truly delivered a great performance, especially in scenes such as when she killed Xiao Xun, when she died for him before being reborn, and when she struck Xie Yan Fang with the poisoned knife. Personally, I have absolutely no complaints about her or anyone else in the main cast. I will certainly be keeping an eye out for future productions featuring these actors.

Both the vocal and instrumental soundtracks were excellent, as was the direction, which took us through stunning natural landscapes. I also assume the budget was limited, which explains the low episode count and the shortcomings in certain aspects of character design and set construction. It was evident that corners were being cut—particularly regarding the omission of scenes like battles—and I also got the impression that there was a lack of extras at times.

Overall, *Ashes to Crown* focuses heavily on court political intrigue but lacks the time for development and greater depth—both regarding its characters and aspects of the plot itself. Nevertheless, it is worth checking out for its positive qualities.


Now in my native language, Brazilian Portuguese:

Os primeiros episódios foram ótimos. Fiquei totalmente fisgada pela trama! Era tanta coisa sendo construída e acontecendo que ficava impossível não se sentir absorta em meio ao enredo.

Mas então, senti que lá pela reta final, as coisas começaram a ficar apressadas demais, havia cenas importantes que simplesmente pareciam ter sido cortadas. E, apesar de ter uma boa cinematografia, acredito que o maior problema de Ashes to Crown é a falta de tempo para o desenvolvimento.

Era uma trama muito boa, mas há pontas que parecem ter ficado soltas. Os personagens, bem como o enredo, tinham potencial, principalmente a protagonista feminina. Ela era inteligente e jogava bem o jogo da corte, mas também sofria e passava por dificuldades, o que gerava uma empatia por ela. Porém, eu acho que tanto ela, quanto os demais personagens poderiam ter sido tão bem melhor desenvolvidos, explorados e aprofundados.

Deng Yi, por exemplo. Ele era um personagem interessante, mas simplesmente não teve nenhum outro aspecto explorado além do que foi dito sobre ele. A relação dele com a mãe poderia ter sido explorada e construída para um desenvolvimento de personagem. Aliás, também confesso que pensei que ele teria um romance com a prima de Chu Zao. Talvez, eu tenha simplesmente me equivocado? Sem contar que também me senti confusa, quando ele de repente passou para o lado de Chu Zao, após ter conspirado com Xiao Xun. E sim, sei que foi dito que ele fez isso para que a protagonista feminina poupasse a mãe dele, mas...ela sabendo que a idosa é inocente, não a teria poupado de qualquer maneira? Deng Yi é um personagem com potencial. Ele tem uma forte relação com a mãe, o que é seu ponto fraco, é isso o humaniza, ao contrário de Xie Yan Fang. Acredito que tal coisa deveria ter sido usada para um arco narrativo.

Xie Yan Fang e Xiao Xun são vilões completos, eles não parecem ter empatia por ninguém. Na verdade, estão prontos para eliminar quem ficar em seu caminho. No entanto, eu também acho que faltou profundidade e exploração nestes personagens.

Embora, devo dizer, tenha sido interessante e intrigante ver estes três, junto com o FL, no jogo politico da corte, eu senti que até mesmo isso, após ela voltar da campanha na fronteira, foi apressado.

Por fim, também senti falta de mais personagens. Mesmo que a trama se movimentasse com o elenco principal, não tinha nenhuma outra subtrama com personagens secundários, praticamente.

Outra coisa que me deixou confusa foi a história da mãe da protagonista feminina. Do mesmo modo que ela apareceu rápido, ela morreu rápido, se sacrificando previsivelmente. Achei desnecessário. Se o drama não tem tempo para aprofundar e desenvolver a relação dela com a mãe, então era melhor deixar de fora está parte para poder focar em coisas mais importantes na trama.

Xie Yan Lai, foi um bom protagonista masculino. Eles era corajoso e protegia a protagonista feminina. Mas não era invencível, é isso foi um ponto positivo. Do mesmo jeito que fomos apresentados ao passado da protagonista feminina, também como nos mostraram o passado dele e sua relação com seu irmão, Xie Yan Fang. Mas ele simplesmente some por um tempo muito significativo, após virar general da fronteira. Eu tive a impressão de que ele teve um certo desenvolvimento de personagem, mas foi muito pouco explorado, porque ele sumiu.

Fora todas estas coisas, a atuação do elenco principal e do elenco de apoio foi ótima! Chen Du Ling realmente entregou uma ótima performance, principalmente em cenas como quando ela matou Xiaoxun, quando ela morreu por ele, antes de renascer, e quando ela cortou Xie Yan Fang com a faca envenenada. Na verdade, particularmente, não tenho reclamação dela ou do de todos do elenco principal. Certamente ficarei atenta as próximas produções em que estes atores estiverem.

Tanto a trilha sonora cantada quando a trilha sonora instrumental foram excelentes, bem como a direção, que nos levou por cenários naturais belíssimos. Também presumo que o orçamento foi limitado, por isso foram feitos tão poucos episódios e faltaram algumas coisas em certos aspectos da caracterização e contrução de cenário. Dava para ver que de alguma maneira havia algo sendo economizado, principalmente devido ao corte de certas cenas, como as de batalha. Além disso, tive a impressão que as vezes faltava figurante.

No geral, Ashes to Crown foca bastante na intriga política da corte, mas carece de tempo para desenvolvimento e mais profundidade, tanto em seus personagens quanto em aspectos da própria trama. No entanto, vale a pena dar uma olhada pelos pontos positivos.

Leia Mais

Man, this one had so much potential! This is a sentence I have previously only used for Thai BLs, but here it is entirely deserved.

The drama had it all: Cute and talented actors, a tried-but-true premise of "opposites attract but have to put in effort to make it work", a solid technical crew -- but then the whole thing is watered down by an unnecessary rival and inconsistent characterizations.

The drama starts out strong -- we get a meet-cute between an outgoing Kansai dweller and a reserved man from Tokyo, a "love at first sight" trope and tasty-looking food. All of the cast give their characters life in just a few scenes.

The plot progression in the first few episodes, which focuses on the two men who slowly get closer and learn each other's likes and dislikes, and how to talk to each other, would be good too, if it wasn't for Soga's poor characterisation: He is a divorcé, so he should be able to recognize attraction and desire in himself, right? But he very much acts as if all of this is new to him, and he has never even thought of himself as someone who could be in a relationship -- and it's not that he is confused that it's a man; nor is he asexual (he very bluntly proposes sex in a later episode).

So, his character is already inconsistent (but somewhat in accordance with J-BL "rules"), but then it gets worse: Sakae's ex, who left him a while ago, is back and wants to restart the relationship. Much of the short runtime is wasted on this love rival side plot instead of further exploring how two people who have next to nothing in common could make a relationship work.
I think this as well as the inconsistent characterisation of Soga's is why other viewers feel that there's no "chemistry" between the leads.

And it's worth of note that as soon as this is resolved and our couple is again on the search for the middle-ground (quite literally!), their dynamics start to get interesting again. Unfortunately, that is the point where the runtime ends already.

This could have been a cute and light story about two people who are very different, who tend to pull back to make their partners happy and who learn that to make a partnership work you have to find compromise that fits both of you.

Was it good?
It has much potential to be one of the J-BLs with tight writing and interesting character dynamics which I so love. Unfortunately, it id not use this potential at all.

Did I like it?
I really want to. I liked the start and the end, but the middle dragged the whole thing down.

Would I recommend it?
Not really.

Leia Mais