Reviews

Intriguing Premise, Failed Execution

This started off with a new and intriguing premise: a writer who has been living in isolation due to anxiety/panic disorder is scammed by his only connection to the real world and someone who has taken his identity. Then there is a mystery regarding who took his identity and why.

The two interesting stories were 1) writer who's identity has been stolen 2) a writer and gangster on a quest to figure out who the mastermind is behind their woes (this could be a fun plot if they had made it so the writer and gangster were scammed by the same person instead of having the writer scam him)

They messed it up by making the writer part of the scam and then trying to tie in every character into the main plot in some extremely unrealistic and lame ways. The cop is tied in the most bizarre storyline for example. The suspension of disbelief is broken immediately and over and over again. The actors playing the cop, Noja, the mafia boss, the police chief, the publishing lady all are excellent actors.

The drama fails because of miscasting of the main lead. Every other actor around his is talented at acting and better looking. Therefore, the below average actor and way below average looks of the main lead pull him down. Even crazier is that they have a character (Noja) say that the friend (Son Hyeok) is very missable in terms of looks (when he is quite handsome) with the main lead being so unappealing physically. Like the way the character who says it makes a face you can tell he is thinking the same thing.

The (main or one of them I guess) alleged villain is cast as Park Ji Hoon who is a gorgeous face and up and coming actor who has done some truly powerful work at such a young age. There is no world in which he would get plastic surgery to look like that, to basically go from swan to frog. In every movie with plastic surgery even accidental ones or revenge ones the point is to look better or for a purpose. Even face swap movies are somewhat equal in looks. I can think of only one movie where they plastic surgery is done to make the hero look like the villain to frame him but of course it makes sense. Here it does not make sense. It would have made more sense for him to make the writer look like him and set the gangsters after him (which again unrealistic).

Then the whole revenge plot was terrible, no sane or insane person would do all that when there were 101 better options (see Glory) to ruin the writer's life and really ruin it. I would have been more on board if it was all a mental illness caused by the pills and the writer was ruining their own life because of mental health issues and the family history. That would make more sense than all that. In trying to be celver and make a puzzle within a puzzle the drama failed on every regard.

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Beautiful Scenery, Hot Chemistry, but a Rushed Romance

Just like The Summer You Kissed Me, I decided to watch the 58 minute movie version of Awakening the Steppe on GagaOOLala instead of watching the six individual episodes. I am honestly glad I did because the movie format made everything flow much better and it was very easy to finish in one sitting.

This is my second time watching Wang Chen Rui, and once again, he did not disappoint. His acting was good, he looked great on screen, and that shirtless body with those muscles definitely caught my attention. This was my first time watching Zai Qiao Yuan, and I thought he was also a great actor. The two of them looked good together and had convincing chemistry, especially during the more intimate moments.

The story itself is quite simple. Muer is a veterinary student living among the beautiful grasslands when he comes across Lei Ze Xin, who is injured after an encounter with wolves. After Muer helps him, the two begin spending more time together and their relationship quickly develops into something romantic.

And when I say quickly, I mean extremely quickly. Within only a few days, they are already talking about loving each other and wanting to spend the rest of their lives together. I understand the idea of love at first sight, but this was still too fast for me. Attraction and falling for someone quickly is believable, but promising your entire future to someone you have only known for a few days needed much more development.

One of the biggest strengths of this BL is definitely the visuals. The summer setting is absolutely beautiful, with endless greenery, open grasslands and mountains creating a peaceful and romantic atmosphere. There were many moments where I was simply enjoying the scenery. It gave the series its own identity and made it visually different from many other BLs.

The other major strength was the chemistry. The kissing scenes were passionate and the NC scenes were hot. My favourite was definitely the tent scene. I loved the confident and possessive energy from Lei Ze Xin when he was on top of Muer and joked about wanting to buy him. When Muer said he was expensive, Lei Ze Xin basically responded that it did not matter because he could afford him. That entire scene really showed their chemistry and Lei Ze Xin taking control.

Unfortunately, the plot itself was the weakest part. There simply was not enough time for the relationship or story to properly develop. Everything happened so quickly that some of the emotional moments did not have enough time to make an impact. I also found the ending confusing and was left wondering exactly what the series was trying to tell us.

Overall, Awakening the Steppe is a light and visually stunning BL with beautiful scenery, attractive leads, strong chemistry and some great kissing scenes, but the story needed more development. I really wish it had been longer because the relationship could have been much more convincing with additional time.

It is not one of the best BLs I have watched, but it is certainly not one of the worst either. At only 58 minutes, it is incredibly easy to binge in one sitting.

Final Rating: 7/10

Now I am looking forward to seeing Wang Chen Rui again in Till I See You, which releases tomorrow.

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Chaotic, entertaining, surprisingly convincing

I really like the story, and finally, a more serious BL series with a culinary setting! 😆 I genuinely enjoyed watching this because the characters were convincing and, at the same time, incredibly irritating—in the best way possible. 😂

They’re constantly conflicting, fighting, and trying to one-up each other, which makes the plot even more chaotic and entertaining. You already know there’s probably going to be a happy ending, but the fun is in watching how they’re going to get there.

Surprisingly, I was also impressed with the acting. The actors worked really well together, and their chemistry made the conflicts feel believable without becoming too much.

What I particularly appreciate about this series is that it doesn’t feel like it needs a huge budget to keep you interested. I never found myself thinking, “This scene needs more money” or “They should have spent more on this.” The story, the dialogue, and the characters were enough to keep me watching.

For me, this is a good example of how a solid story and convincing performances can carry a series. You don’t always need an extravagant production when the writing and characters are already doing the heavy lifting.

Chaotic, entertaining, surprisingly convincing—and just the kind of BL story I didn’t know I needed. 🌱😂

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Sweet, kind boy and overprotected princess baby-voiced girl

Sweet little girly love story, it’s uncomplicated and an easy watch about a sweet boy and a suuuuper over-protected princess with grating baby voice.

Girl can’t do anything for herself. But she’s cutesy and constantly talks like she’s a child even when she’s 19+, which is just…eeeew. I don’t mind it in small doses or lovey dovey chatter between lovers, but it’s creepy when it’s the character’s whole deal. There’s a 5-6 year age difference. This is handled pretty well when she’s in middle school and he’s in college, it didn’t feel yuk to me. There wasn’t any interest in her or even silly jokes about it on his end. Thank God.

I see why she has a crush on Chen Zheyuan’s Jiaxu. Sweet, kind, handsome/boyish cute, confident by not arrogant, suuuuper reminiscent of characters played by Andrew McCarthy in those ‘80s-era American movies. The odd thing is that he wants to hover and (basically) parent his girlfriend. It feels less like showing love through acts of service and more like…her parents handed her off, now it’s his turn to cook, buy groceries, buy toiletries, and drive her everywhere no matter how exhausting his job is or the tough hand that life dealt his family. Whether he’s treating her knee boo-boos, carrying her, or buying her menstrual pads (which was a sweet scene) or rushing her to dr for minor milk allergy or carting her drunk @ss home, I don’t get it.

FL: She likes doodling, and plushies and giggles. Can’t drive, can’t cook (even noodles), can’t even run/jump etc. She literally does nothing in this drama but hang out with her crush, barf on his arm, write cutesy sticky notes. There are only 2 scenes where I thought the character rocked it, and one scene where she aggressively stepped up in defense of Jiaxu, and another where she was surprisingly competent in giving a work presentation. That’s it. Two scenes of you go, girl! out of 25 eps.

I got a leeeeetle bit tired at the end of Jiaxu’s constant gee golly perfect boyfriendness, he never really grew/evolved much at all and he should have as a guy in his early then mid 20s.

Thought the acting was good by all. Story-wise, I thought that wishing your daughter continues to live a fairly wealthy, complete cotton candy existence with nothing everrrrr bothering her where she can giggle and kick her little pink slippered feet and eat fruit (that mommy/daddy/partner shopped/bought/cut up/served/did dishes) all day doesn’t feel like you want your daughter to experience life or grow up outside of a very sheltered existence. I so wanted to root for the fictional character who was a lil spitfire as a kid but then she just turns into a puddle of boring beige.

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Nostalgic Charm and Great Chemistry, Held Back by Rush and Clichés

PROS
​Lead Chemistry: Their connection carries the show. The male lead is a fantastic rom-com discovery.
​Nostalgic Vibe: The cinematography evokes classic old-school rom-coms.
​Side Couples: Sweet and integrated without hogging screen time.
​CONS
​Rushed 12-Ep Format: Plot points are introduced only to be left underdeveloped (e.g., DNX).
​Cliché Protagonist: Lazy writing keeps her predictable rather than fleshed out.
​Weak "Triangle": The second male lead lacks drive, leaving the dynamic completely one-sided.
​Marginalized Friends: Friend group interactions are pushed aside for the main couple.

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Between great chemistry and clichés, the charm didn’t quite work.

My Bias, My Boss had a really promising start. I really liked the concept, the light atmosphere, and especially the idol side of the story with DNX. The group brought a lot of energy to the drama, and I genuinely enjoyed seeing the members’ different personalities and their interactions with each other. The idol storyline gave the drama something fun and different, and I honestly wish it had been explored more throughout the show.

The cast was definitely one of the highlights for me. Kim Hye-jun was really charming as Da Reum and made her character feel both funny and relatable. Kang Hoon was also great as Ha Gi. Even though his character starts off as the typical cold and serious CEO, he slowly becomes much more endearing, and Kang Hoon did a great job showing that softer side. His expressions and reactions were honestly some of the funniest parts of the drama. I also really liked his chemistry with Kim Hye-jun; their interactions felt natural, and their little arguments and romantic moments were definitely some of my favorite scenes. Cha Woo-min also brought a lot of charisma to Lee Chan, while the supporting cast added humor and made the world of the drama feel more lively.

Unfortunately, the drama started losing me a little as the story progressed. The love triangle was interesting at first, but it eventually became too central to the plot. The constant misunderstandings, jealousy, hesitation, and predictable romantic clichés started to feel repetitive. I think the drama would have been much stronger if it had focused more on the characters’ development, the DNX members, and their careers instead of relying so heavily on the love triangle.

Overall, My Bias, My Boss was still a fun and enjoyable watch. It had a great cast, good chemistry, likeable characters, and a really promising beginning. I just feel like it didn’t fully live up to its potential, especially because the clichés and love triangle took away some of the charm it had at the start. Still, I’m glad I watched it, and I would recommend it if you’re looking for something light, cute, and easy to binge.

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It was ok

I really liked the message of the story. It’s something I haven’t really seen explored in a Thai series before, so I found it interesting and refreshing. The story itself was excellent, and I could really see the intention behind it.

For me, the only thing that took a little away from the experience was Lhongchang, played by Atip Korsink. Since he’s still fairly new to acting, I felt that some scenes could have benefited from a bit more emotional depth and confidence in his performance. It sometimes made it harder for me to fully connect with his character.

I actually think more preparation and acting training before pairing him with Bas Asavapatr could have helped, especially since Bas has more experience and brought a very natural performance to their scenes together.

That said, I don’t think the acting completely took away from the series. The story was strong, the message was there, and I appreciate what they were trying to convey. I just hope Lhongchang gets more opportunities to grow because I think with more experience, he can become much more convincing on screen.

Overall, a really good story with an important message—just a little more polish in the acting would have made it even better for me. 💕

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Somewhat predictable

Mr. Kill was one of the mock trailers that really stuck out to me, so I was super excited to watch this show. I really enjoyed this version of a crime drama, where it is unclear to everyone, including the viewer, what the main character is up to. While I thought Dew's performance as Kaye was incredible, I feel like his character arc left some things to be desired. I also thought it was quite obvious from pretty early on what the twist would be, so it didn't feel like much of a surprise unfortunately.

Kaye (Dew) is a manga artist known for his romance novels, but before writing those, he used a penname to write a dark and gore-filled murder manga, Nekros. When police captain Phat (Tee) is tasked with investigating a murder, it turns out the exact murder scene had already been drawn in Nekros. Phat start off by suspecting Kaye is involved, but also needs his help determining what the killer may do next.

I really enjoyed following the police chase after this murderer, but definitely thought that they could have done more with Kaye's character! It felt like they were really trying to bait the audience into doubting Kaye, but I just felt like they could have made this more compelling. I also wish we got a little more of Tee's character with his little sister. Still, this was an enjoyable show. In a similar vein to GMM's show Wu, I was quite annoyed with the way that this "bromance" show was done in terms of the relationship between the main characters. I'm not saying it needed to be queer - I am totally fine with a show like this having zero romance. However, the slow motion falling into each others arms, the lighting a cigarette by using the others lit cigarette, and the music choices when the characters are close are soooo romance drama. If you're going to make a drama that's not a romance, maybe don't make the scenes so romantic? Regardless, the show was a fun crime drama even with the pretty expected twists.

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My take on the FLOWER BOY

The concept of the story feels like something I’ve heard or seen somewhere before, but I think what made this series stand out was the way it was given its own color and style. That really redeemed my interest in the series and kept me invested.

I just wish the budget had been more extravagant because I feel like the story had so much potential for more chaos, action, and bigger moments. The actors did a good job, and I enjoyed their performances. I was just hoping for more action and intensity overall.

Still, I think the series had an interesting concept and its own charm. I just wish they had gone bigger with it because it could’ve been even more exciting.

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I Came for a Crime Thriller. I Left Devastated.

I don't even know how to begin this review.

I'm usually the kind of person who stops watching the moment the credits start rolling. I don't sit through credits. The story is over, so I'm gone. But when The Worst of Evil ended, I found myself sitting in front of my laptop for a good five minutes, just watching the credits roll.

I was genuinely dazed.

The latter half of this drama completely wrecked me because of what it did with its characters.

Watching Park Jun-mo's transformation was devastating as you watch him slowly become someone almost unrecognisable from the man we met at the beginning.

And the frightening part is that the transformation doesn't feel sudden. You watch it happen.

What makes The Worst of Evil particularly tragic is the relationship that develops between Jun-mo and Jung Ki-cheul. They begin on completely opposite sides of the law, yet their relationship becomes something far more complicated as the story progresses. What started as an undercover operation becomes something far more complicated when the emotions and loyalties involved stop being an act.

By the end, I wasn't even sure what I was feeling.

The final scenes were especially powerful. There is a particular moment near the end that completely broke me. There is no dramatic speech, no explanation, no dialogue telling you what the character is feeling. And somehow, that silence said everything.

It was one of those moments where the absence of words made the scene louder.

The Worst of Evil is dark, brutal, emotionally heavy and, at times, genuinely painful to watch. But beneath all of that is an incredibly well-executed story about identity, loyalty, ambition, sacrifice and what happens when you spend too long pretending to be someone else.

I came into this expecting a crime thriller.

I left feeling like I had witnessed a tragedy.

This has officially earned a place among the most deranged and emotionally devastating dramas I've watched — alongside The Penthouse, Escape of the Seven, Mouse and Flower of Evil.

I don't think I have the words to properly explain what this drama did to me.

But wow.

Just... wow.

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Not for everyone, but for those it will be epic.

MR.KILL - Review

Mr. Kill with Dew and Tee as main protagonists featuring Off and Neo, this was a bromance murder mystery series. So, no BL here, despite being made by GMMTV. So keep this in mind.

Mr. Kill was a dark, emotional rollercoaster, asking uncomfortable questions about life and the world we life in. It was deep, unsettling and excellently played by all involved. Warning: it does contain gruesome imagery so it is not for a faint of heart (though I have seen worse), and you may say, eh bromance? Nah.

Still, I must admit I felt greatly entertained despite the story being entirely in a gray area, where good and evil quickly blur and simple answers vanish. Still I felt it was something we all feel, even if we keep it just at the brink of our thoughts. I had a bit a "V for Vendetta" vibe just "we live in it and it is smoother, so we can easy delude ourselves." Which is a powerful message and a challange to the viewer, keeping you thinking.

Knowing what I would get and getting way more, all excellenlty made I have nothing bad to say to this masterpiece of its kind.

10/10
Not for everyone, but for those it will be epic.

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I LOVED This… But We Need to Talk About The Ending.

This drama hit me HARD. The highs were REALLY high, the lows were REALLY low, and the songs made every emotion hit harder. My favorite scenes were whenever the magician showed up to save the day. They were SO satisfying to watch.

That said… I really wished for a better ending.

The concept of the magician as a role model was genuinely beautiful. He really was a wonderful role model… right up until the last episode. That’s where I felt the drama ultimately portrayed him as an unsuccessful human being—or at least, that’s how I interpreted him. And I’m not entirely sure that was the message I wanted to take away from his character.

I would have MUCH rather had a twin appear and reveal that he was actually the one who committed all the criminal actions we were shown him committing. Instead, we got the magician somehow surviving a deadly suicide attempt in the past, followed by the whole “he went crazy” storyline… and finally, guess what? He just disappeared. A big NO, honestly. 😭

And what about the choking scene with Baek Ha Na? They never explained why he did that—is it because of his mental illness? So disappointing.

I also would have loved to see the "successful" adult version of Na Il Deung, just like Yun A I.

Still, despite my issues with the ending, this drama left a strong emotional impact on me, and that’s something I really appreciate.

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