Reviews

The coming of age of underclass teenager in Japan

This is a coming-of-age story based on a novel written by Kenta Nishimura about a young man who has been shunned by society for crimes he did not commit; accused, outcasted, and never given a chance. Growing up without any prospects, Kenta embodies the struggles of the underclass, a person who cannot even dream of improving his life. After a long journey, he finally finds the motivation to pursue his dream of becoming a writer.

Now this is the type of movie that is more for an older audience and it's a type that has more to do with quiet reflection than a boastful storyline, and I do think these are the kinds that you either like or do not like.

The story follows Kenta, a middle school drop-out who has been ostracized by society due to his father's heinous crimes. This association has branded Kenta's family as perpetrators, forcing them to flee. Since the age of 14, Kenta has worked as a day laborer, surrounded by adults who constantly reminded him that he would never amount to anything as a mere middle school graduate. As a result, Kenta grew up engaging in destructive behavior such as smoking, drinking, and frequenting massage parlors and peep shows.

Kenta is a nonconformist and contrarian, not by choice but because society pushed him away for a crime he did not commit. He represents the opposite of the hard-working individual that Japan prides itself on producing; instead of becoming a productive member of society, he rejects the norms. While children are taught from their first day of school to be polite and diligent contributors, Kenta exemplifies the opposite. He doesn’t pay rent, lives at the mercy of his landlords, ignores societal expectations, and constantly finds himself in situations where people remind him of his status as a middle school drop-out.

When he meets Shoji, a peer who also works in day labor but embodies the qualities of a disciplined and conscientious worker, their contrasting personalities highlight Kenta's excessive lifestyle and refusal to grow. Despite their differences, the two become friends. Unlike others, Shoji never blames Kenta or reminds him of his educational shortcomings; instead, he becomes an ally. However, over time, the differences in their lives come to the forefront, and even Shoji starts to drift away.

The movie takes you through a less glamorous view of the underclass society, highlighting their struggles, habits, and aspects of life that you might want to ignore or remain unaware of. A reality that many would rather not discuss. Overall, I enjoyed this movie. It’s always hard to watch films that are challenging, but they serve the purpose of exposing what lies beneath the surface or around the corner.

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Wish I skipped this one

This show was so mid. It didn't ever really hook me either, but I decided to stick with it. The characters to me weren't very interesting and neither were the relationships. I really didn't care for a single character in this show which is made it hard to care about the relationships at all. There wasn't anything wrong with the show really, just very eh the entire time. I didn't care for a lot of the acting either, but I think it was more on the script rather than the actors. The chemistry between the cast was great though. I honestly wanted to give it a 3/10 but since there wasn't anything exactly wrong with it, I gave it an extra point.

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Good concept → generally engaging → occasionally confusing/rushed.

I have such mixed feelings about Wu. There were so many things about it that I genuinely liked, especially the supernatural side of the story. I really enjoyed getting to see the Thai and Chinese cultural elements surrounding the supernatural, the demons, the rituals, and all the mythology that came with it. That genuinely intrigued me a lot, it made me invested and made me finish the story instead of dropping it. I kinda considered it but the cultural elements kept me there. There was something really interesting about that side of the show, and honestly, I wish they had leaned into it even more.
At the same time, I don't think I ever had that WOW moment while watching. There were moments where I could see the potential for something really incredible, I knew that it was bromance and not BL when i walked into the show, but it never quite got there for me the wow this is amazing feeling. Everything felt like it was almost there — the concept, the supernatural themes, the mystery, the characters — but somehow the execution left me feeling a little... meh.
I wanted to feel more immersed in the mythology and more impressed by what the show was building but the worldbuiling just didnt hit it for me in the end.
SO if i have to make a feeling here id say, I did enjoy it, and I'm glad I watched it, and finished it at the end. I just kept coming away thinking “this could have been SO much more.” The supernatural themes were probably my favorite part, which makes it even more frustrating because I feel like there was a genuinely great show hiding underneath the somewhat meh delivery.

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Cute watch

So, theres a few things I feel like I should mention in my review here. Overall, The Air was an enjoyable watch, although there were definitely a few things that bothered me. One of the biggest was the way the foreign setting/characters were handled. I’ve had a similar issue with other shows where a character is from a foreign country but somehow speaks a language that isn’t particularly close to their own, especially when the country isn’t even a neighbouring one. It just felt a little strange to me and gave me some weird vibes from the beginning. Minor details since this is a Thai show so it makes a lot of sense that they would mainly be speaking Thai, so none there its just the whole Blew's apparent mother tongue being english but speaks Thai more without having any anglicisms or loosing words, I myself grew up bilingual so it was a weird ick, but it didnt take me so out of the show too much.

I also felt like the romance between Vayo and Blew was a little rushed. It was cute, and I enjoyed watching them together, but I wish the show had given their relationship more time to develop naturally, maybe making it a 12 episodes and not 8 it couldve been explored more. Because of how quickly their feelings progressed, some of the emotional moments didn’t hit quite as strongly for me as I think they were meant to.

This was also my first 4 Elements series, so there may have been some things I missed or appreciated less because I didn't have the context from the other 2 shows that had already finihsed airing. That's probably partly on me. Even so, I still had a good time watching it, and despite my criticisms, I think The Air was a solid and enjoyable watch overall.

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They're cute but the plot is a little boring

I enjoyed this show for the most part. I liked Lu Qing and Xiao Fan as characters and liked them a lot together. They were both pretty interesting and I liked seeing all the changes of their relationship throughout the years. Lu Qing's sister and Xiao Fan's family annoyed me so much the entire show, especially the brother. I liked the Bei family's dad a lot, he always seemed really calm and understanding about a lot of things. I do think the show got pretty boring towards the end with all the stuff about the stock market. I just didn't care for any of that and was very bored during it all. The best scenes in the show for me were when Lu Qing and Xiao Fan were together.

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Republican-era dramas are not usuallly my tea but for this drama with the Republican setting—the clothes, the atmosphere, the politics, the whole historical backdrop, it made me eat the show up, like the whole historical themes with the triads it actually caught my attention a lot. I genuinely wasn’t expecting to get this obsessed with it. I am familiar with the mml Ryan Ren and I quite like him. But adding the enemies-to-lovers / hate-to-love into the equation, Yeah, I was finished. It's probs o ne of my favourite tropes that exist

SO China has a thing with mini dramas, they are fast paced and easy to get through, so its not always that its balanced in a way. At least for me, its a short coming with having something happen within short episodes, but it can balance it out with the amount of episodes. But well, this one, surprised me with how well-balanced everything was and felt, I ate it up but it didnt have everything at the start nor at the end in a rushed feeling. There was mystery, action, comedy, suspense and romance, but none of it felt like it completely swallowed the others, it didnt feel like I lost interest . It was chaotic when it needed to be, emotional when it needed to be, and romantic without making the entire plot revolve around the romance.

Sidenote: I need to appreciate our fml because she was actually strong, kind, fearless. No sitting around waiting for someone to save her every five minutes like in some dramas, you all know which ones.

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It’s not just a romance between two 'red flag' guys

To be honest, I initially thought it was just going to be a typical romance about two toxic guys, but reading the novel completely changed my mind, this series is incredibly fascinating. It’s a story about two men from completely different worlds who gradually make their way into each other’s lives
Right from the first episode, the setting, acting, and cinematography completely blew me away; it actually exceeded my expectations. On top of that, the entire cast delivers great performances, and the chemistry of Williamest goes without saying it’s absolutely phenomenal. I’ve watched all their previous works together, so I’m really looking forward to seeing how You Maniac unfolds

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This is a Must Watch Series!

You Maniac caught me by surprise because beneath the attractive leads and obvious chemistry, there is actually a really interesting character setup developing here.

What I liked most about this show is that the two leads feel genuinely different from each other.

Moth is quiet, guarded and extremely selective about who he lets into his space. He seems very comfortable being on his own and has little patience for people whose intentions he doesn't trust. Dean, on the other hand, is outgoing, charming and completely comfortable around people. He has a much more casual attitude towards relationships and seems to enjoy keeping things uncomplicated.

So naturally, putting these two together is going to be… interesting. 😂

What really grabbed me was the way their attraction is handled. The show doesn't need to constantly announce “LOOK, THEY HAVE CHEMISTRY!” You can see it in the little moments—the way they notice each other, the lingering looks, the subtle changes in expression. There is an immediate pull between them that seems to catch both of them off guard.

And I particularly liked how much the actors communicate without dialogue. Est's portrayal of Moth is especially nuanced. Moth isn't simply the stereotypical cold, aloof character. There are little glimpses that suggest there is considerably more going on underneath that controlled exterior, and Est does a great job of letting us see those cracks without overplaying them.

William brings a completely different energy as Dean. He's naturally charismatic and playful, but there is enough restraint underneath that I'm curious to see what happens when his usual approach to relationships starts being challenged.

The thing I appreciate is that Episode 1 doesn't explain everything. We don't know all of these characters' histories yet, and there are clearly things beneath the surface that haven't been revealed. Instead of dumping all the answers on us immediately, the episode gives enough information to make you curious about what is actually driving them.

And that's what worked for me.

I'm not even trying to predict exactly where this story is going yet. I just want to see what happens when two people who seem to have very different ideas about relationships start getting under each other's skin.

The performances are good, the chemistry is there, the characters have enough contradictions to keep them interesting, and the story has already given me questions I want answered.

One episode in, and I'm definitely curious enough to keep watching.

If you like character-driven romances where the attraction isn't just about pretty people standing next to each other, give You Maniac a try. There's something interesting brewing here. 👀

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Premise may be cliché, but the execution makes it work.

I thought this was a really great horror watch. I watched this initially because I saw it on viki and it game me Gonjiam vibes, boy it did indeed feel like that after i watched it. SO first, the idea is super overused but thats why it works, I think the executes the ghost in the mountains really well.

The parts where the ghost possesses Yu Xin were genuinely horrifying. The ghost itself is creepy and unsettling, and there are several moments where it really gives you that feeling of tension and thrill that you want from a horror movie. It was unsettling and creepy, just what one needs from a good horror film.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this if you're looking for a good horror. Don't go into it expecting a new concept expect cliche—but the atmosphere, the ghost, and especially the possession scenes make it a really enjoyable and genuinely creepy watch.
I watched this in the middle of the night as well, made a good atmosphere. But alas its good wether you want to watch it at night or in the middle of the day its creepy nonetheless.

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Light, Fluffy, and Full of Hard-Earned Love

This was a light fluffy drama that left you smiling all the way through the end. It was less about her revenge and reinvention of herself and more about this couple's life/love story. The ending scene of the leads with their grandchildren was a good choice as it really brought them full circle and gave you a "full life" view of them. It also gave proof that he did not follow in his father's footsteps in how he treated his wife. Nor any of the other male characters from their extended family who all had trouble keeping it in their pants. Speaking of keeping things in their pants; was that boy actually his brother or was the mistress just cashing in on the dad? Also, what happened to the twin sister? And her older sister – did she marry the non-gangster gangster? If so, what happened when she found out that they set her up to break her up with her ex-husband? And their younger (and adorable) brother? I'm kinda invested in their stories now. I would totally watch another two seasons of this show. I've been trying to find out if it is an adaptation but I've yet to find a confirmed source. I think the funniest part of this series was when the FL'S mom showed up and had to teach the gangsters how to collect a debt. Ugh. Now I want to watch it again. BRB. Repeating this watch.

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A waste of a good cast

I'll start with the positives because to be honest, I don't have a lot for this show. So first off, I love In Youp and Hye Ri so much!! I love him and was so happy to see him finally be the main lead and not the second choice! I love her as well and was happy to see her in something again since it's been a while. I think their chemistry is fantastic and the acting was great. I loved Baek Sung Chul and Lee Yul Eum as well as their characters. I think all the actors did a great job in this show.

I liked the concept of the show as well. I thought it was very cute to see them make their movie together after all those years. I loved that, it was so sweet. The music was pretty decent in the series as well. I absolutely adored the set and the costumes for the movie!! Stunning!

I loved Soobin. He was such a green flag, good guy, and cared so much for Yi Jae and his mom. I loved that he helped his mom get away from his dad too. I really liked how he handled most situations in the show.

I love Ha Na and Yu Geon so much! I thought both of their characters were really interesting and LOVED them together a lot. They were so cute together. They were my favorite couple in the show. I loved seeing Ha Na's growth throughout the show and see her stand up to her mom and get to live how she wants to. See Yu Geon work so hard to achieve his dream was so nice to see. The part with his dad getting to watch his movie before passing was the best part of the whole show. It made me so emotional and was so beautiful to see.

Onto the things I didn't like about this show.
I wish we got to see a bit more of the movie since that's what the show was leading up to. We just kept seeing the same few scenes from it over and over again. I think it would've been cool to see more of it so we as the audience could see more of what they accomplished. I think it would've been more satisfying that way.

This could just be me being picky, but for a show about two directors, I thought the directing was pretty mid. There was nothing special about the directing at all. I know it's a romcom, so it doesn't necessarily need it, but it was very basic and with a show about directors I think it could've used a bit of flare.

The third couple...if we can even call them that. I don't know their names and forgot about them entirely until they showed up again for their two minutes of screentime. I know he has a role outside of his storyline with her, but honestly, I think they both could've been written out of the show and it would've been the exact same, especially her. Their storyline has got to be the most useless thing I've ever seen in a show.

Onto Yi Jae...I liked her a lot in the beginning and then that changed. I loved her in the high school flashbacks and in the first couple episodes as an adult. She was funny, determined, and I really liked how she talked about wanting to make movies and what that meant to her. Then she just started to annoy me more and more. I felt like she was always upset or angry with Soobin for one reason or another, and I didn't ever think they were for very valid reasons either. He was just a way better communicator than she was. Her decision to breakup with him and go abroad felt so random and stupid to me. It very much felt like they just needed to have some kind of conflict for episode 11 and that's the best they could come up with. Making this movie was her dream and she left before the final edit was even done and wasn't there for any of the promotion. So much of the conflict between her and Soobin throughout was she felt like it was his movie more than hers and yet she leaves so he does all the promotion by himself so then it really does look like it was his movie more than hers. That was just such bad writing.

I liked how early in the show they got together and didn't wait until one of the final episodes, except we never saw them really be a couple. We saw them either onset of the movie, working on something related to the movie, or talking about the movie. We didn't really get to see very much of them just being themselves as a couple, so their relationship didn't progress or feel satisfying at all. And again, she left for two years and then walked right back into his life like nothing happened...and then he proposed. This really pissed me off. She didn't feel bad for leaving him and left at an awful time, but then they just get engaged after that like he wasn't doing horribly the time she was gone. I could talk about it all day, it made me so mad. We also just always saw him doing way more for her and putting in more effort for their relationship than she ever did.

Overall, as you can tell, I didn't like this show. The writing wasn't very good and was very repetitive. Every episode was just her feeling like the movie wasn't hers, she'd get mad at Soobin, he'd do something to make her see the movie is both of theirs, and then it would repeat. Even Soobin's trauma with his dad just felt like such an afterthought. It was barely important to the show at all. This had such an incredible cast, and I was really excited for it, but it was just a major let down.

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Mutual love

The all people of the world who are believe in mutual love, they should watch this series. The storyline is unpredictable until episode 10. I cried so much through watching. Two bestfriend who love eachother. This series doesn't have nude scenes much, but the actors chemistry is boom. I didn't feel awkward or strange in any love making scenes. I am watching bl series since my teenage so i watched many series where actor's love making scenes feel awkward or something missing. The plot twists are so so good that made me excited to watch. All actors and actresses' acting very well. And the cinematography and lightings are eye catching that made any scenes beautiful.
The dialogues are good not best. But softness of their talking very well written.
The main character inn and ongsa... Their crying scenes... Heart touching. Whenever ongsa cried, I want to hug him. His beautiful eyes. .... Aaahhh!!!! .... He carried this role very well. Inn's soldier appearance is so handsome.
I really really enjoyed this series. Only the last episode make me hesitate. I didn't emotional that much I expected. Just last scene I expected somthing magical. Like teacher tin's perspective and soldier phob's dream for equality.
My bestest scene in whole series is tin's grandmother and Prince tin's scenes. Her grandmother's perspective.
Second scene where phob requested to tin come back to him.
Overall I give 9.5 rating. I hope inn and ongsa will deliver more series like it.

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She Walked Away Without Looking Back

OVERALL IMPRESSION🌟
A satisfying short drama about a strong, decisive FL who refuses to remain where she is neither loved nor respected. The story moves quickly, stays focused, and avoids unnecessary, drawn-out scenes.

WHAT I LIKED💖
• The FL remains remarkably composed after discovering her boyfriend’s deception. She doesn’t beg, throw tantrums, or waste time trying to win him back—she simply walks away.
• I loved that she clearly recognised the difference between a man who took her for granted and one who genuinely loved, appreciated, and respected her.
• Her family were caring and supportive without interfering in her decisions.
• Her protective brother was wonderful, especially when he made certain her former boyfriend understood exactly what he had lost.
• Watching the tables turn on the former boyfriend was incredibly satisfying. What goes around certainly comes around!

WHAT I DISLIKED⚠️
• The ML was cruel, selfish, and unbelievably blind to the FL’s mistreatment.
• The SFL’s schemes against the FL became extremely disturbing and crossed an unforgivable line.
• It was infuriating that the ML remained completely blind to her cruelty, even when the FL was placed in serious danger.
• His refusal to investigate what was happening or recognise the FL’s repeated mistreatment made his behaviour impossible to excuse.

PRODUCTION AND PERFORMANCES🎭
• The cast delivered convincing performances, particularly during the emotional confrontations.
• The pacing suited the shorter format perfectly, with no unnecessary filler or repetitive conversations.

FINAL THOUGHTS💭
I thoroughly enjoyed watching the FL choose dignity, family, and a fresh start over a relationship that made her feel rejected and worthless. The calm, satisfying ending showed that she had found happiness with a genuinely good man who treated her exactly as she deserved.

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