Reviews

Dream On

I took a long time between the first season of Only Friends and Only Friends: Dream On. The first season had my head spinning, so I need a little time to recoup. The story for Dream On was super predictable in a lot of areas, but then towards the end had me biting my nails and almost mad thinking it was going to end a certain way. I adore EarthMix and will watch basically anything with them in it. This performance of was definitely the spiciest they've had up to this point . AouBoom are also quickly becoming another favorite pair of mine and this series had an entirely different dynamic between the two of them than what we have seen so far. JossGawin are a cute couple and given how comfortable Gawin seems with whoever he is partnered with, I expect nothing less that brilliance from him. All three of our main couples delivered. Fluke's character was poorly written in my opinion. I didn't buy for a moment that anyone would have just continued to let him get away with his bs. It was nice to see Neo, Pod, and Mark make their appearances along with FirstKhaotung. Our plot got a bit messy in some areas, but overall this was a good series.

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The story

WOW!!!
For someone that usually goes for only romantic dramas I needed this.The FL is exactly my kind of charade. She is so brave the ways they depicted the story is just marvellous.A brave FL who stood up for herself and her family at such a young age,I resonate with her alot.It shows family struggles,the prejudice against women and young girls,and the way society in general treats women especially.Jingyi really outdid herself with this is.All I can say is watch it the first 4 episodes might be too slow and make you want to drop it but I promise it gets better.They could’ve added 2 extra episodes though

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Falls short....

I was actually excited for this one because of the premise of the story.

Unfortunately, I agree with one of the reviewers who gave it a 1.0. Her observations are very much the same as mine.
The FL supposedly travelled forward in time, and yet, the story failed to focus on her difficulties to adjust to a new time zone. Just 3 episodes in and she was almost completely settled in life in the future.

This alone was off putting for me. But if the producers chose not to focus much on this, then well, I will have to continue and see if the story will have any depth in the coming episodes.

The only good thing for me, is that the ML, is now being given the exposure after being a supporting cast for years.

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Enjoyable, low-stress rom-com

The one-liner: Falling into Your Smile is an enjoyable rom-com that is mostly low-stress and emotionally pleasant.

Pros: Both leads are enjoyable to watch. Xu Kai is a little predictable, playing the ML, Lu Si Cheng, as the same sort of 'cold, stoic, super-competent CEO' role that he has played in multiple dramas. Even though he's technically NOT a 'CEO' of a company in this drama, the type of character he plays is basically the same. Nothing new there and while that might seem a criticism, Xu Kai does play it well. Chang Xiao, as the FL, is a different sort. Her character is very reserved towards other characters, guarding her emotions carefully, though inwardly very sensitive. She only shows her emotions strongly to her best friend and, as their relationship grows, to Lu Si Cheng. Otherwise, she holds a straight face towards almost everyone else. This sets up the irony of her in-game call-name because while in real life, Tong Yao rarely smiles, in the game she is always Smiling. Among support characters, the FL's parents and the ML's mother are all wonderfully played in short appearances by veteran actors - especially both moms who each eat up the scenery when on screen. Alas, neither is on screen enough. The plot of the show is fairly straightforward, similar to any sports-competition type drama: The characters work together over a long season of ups & downs towards a goal of winning a championship, overcoming many different types of obstacles along the way. The competition portrayals are fun and exciting. The shift into 3d-animated portrayals of the game events is fun and exciting to watch.

Cons: The behavior of a lot of the supporting cast is cartoonish. The various e-sports gamers, despite mostly being young men in their mid-to-late 20s, are portrayed as having the maturity level of 5th graders. This is supposedly humorous but mostly looks insulting to real-world e-sports competitors who are mostly rational adults. The plot is, as I said, mostly fine, but does lean into the 'noble idiocy' drama trope in a few of the episodes and that's annoying. Also, the show writers commit two glaring ethical sins that really bothered me. Early in the drama, for drama effect, they have a character commit what is objectively a very serious criminal felony - striking someone from behind with a whisky bottle on the back of the head. The sin is that later, this is completely whitewashed and forgiven as if he had done nothing more than give someone a mild shove. Instead of the character being in prison, he is welcomed back to the team with open arms. This is absolutely ridiculous and could have easily been avoided by the writers. If they had simply had the character do nothing different _except_ simply push the guy hard, then everything else written in the show would still have worked without feeling like a whitewash. Then, later in the show, there is a scene where one of the competitors from one of the other teams, isolates Tong Yao in a hallway alone, physically restricts her and threatens her. She has no way to escape the situation other than to bite the guy on the wrist to break free. Later, instead of acknowledging her situation AND HER RIGHT TO DEFEND HERSELF, the writers have Lu Si Cheng scold her for freeing herself and insisting that the only right thing she should have done is to call for Cheng. He even locks her outside of the base for hours and hours as punishment. But this is ludicrous. Cheng simply was nowhere to be called to for help. Lu Si Cheng was completely in the wrong for demanding this behavior of her and for punishing her for 'doing something wrong'. Because she did not do anything wrong. This is victim-blaming and does not reflect well of the ethics and morality of the writers.

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I might need therapy and some tissues.

I was actually able to sit through this entire drama and enjoy it. I do agree with some people that there was definitely more chemistry between Ji Ling and Lu Wu Yi than between Wu Shiguang and Wu Wangyan. I love both couples, though. Ji Ling and Lu Wuyi were more like newlywed couples, and Wu Shiguang and Wu Wangyan were more mature, which technically did happen in the drama. Besides the romance, I really like that each character has their own story. I do find the first story about Xiaowei a bit confusing, but I kept watching and went back to figure out what went on. Ji Ling's backstory made me cry the most, poor little fox ;-;... he suffered and was lonely, only relying on the little fox doll. Tian Jia Rui did a good job portraying like six different characters, which made me love him so much as an actor and all his characters. I have watched Guo's other works: My Journey to You and Fangs of Fortune, but those two dramas didn't really make actor TJR stand out as much as VOF *for me*. I was never a fan of Ju Jingyi because she looked the same in every drama, and I was just not interested; however, this drama has made me see her differently. I see that her acting is all in her actions and physical movement. I wished that she could work on her crying scenes because I noticed that the sound of her sobbing sometimes does not match her facial expressions (she still made me cry, though). Joseph Zeng, I have nothing bad to say about him. Chen Du Ling, my favorite versatile actress, I also have nothing bad to say about her. I love her character Wangyan so much; she hates to kill because of her soft heart. She feels guilty and horrible after every slaughter mission she receives. Plot twists were great too.

The only reason I gave this drama less than 10 is how messy the plot was. I was sometimes confused, like "how did we get here??" for some scenes. Thank goodness there weren't predictable scenes. The star stone scenes were a bit messy, but I managed. Some fight scenes were kinda dragged out. I didn't really like that. The ending was more of an open ending and felt rushed. The only reason people call it a "happy" ending is because the couple sees each other again after a catastrophe. What about their memories? Besides Shiguang, will the others be able to remember their past? I have many questions for You Chi, he's dead and came back to life, but does he remember the battle against Jiu Ying? He didn't mention anything about the battle against Jiu Ying but he does show that he still remembers the past because he came up to Mu Long. Li Jie, poor him not knowing where Ji Ling is now. After Ji Ling entered the time loop, where do the OG Ji Ling and LWY end up? Are they the same people at the end where one is selling flowers and the other with the raspberry basket? So many questions need answers because the drama was supposed to be 40 episodes, but was cut down to 29 due to censorship.

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It's really a hidden gem!

I don't think I have laughed as much as I have in this kdrama!! This is definitely on my list of top 5 kdramas!! I wasn't going to watch this coz I thought it seemed very cringy and cheesy. While there are definitely some cheesy aspects to this, the story line is actually very good! It's also packed full of high list korean actors!!! I've been on somewhat of a binge watching shows that star Seo In Guk for some reason and I gotta say, i'm a huge fan of his characters. While a lot of them seem the same, his facial expressions are very well suited for the roles. I highly recommend this show!! I also have a new found love for Seo Kang Joon. He is soooo dreamy!!!! I really like the sound effects and of course the dramatic slow motion scenes!!!!

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Genuinely THE best show ever

Yes…I’m not at all exaggerating with the headline. This is a cinematic masterpiece filled with a rollercoaster of emotions. I would HIGHLY recommend this to everyone looking for a comedic romance with a bit of heavier topics near the end. Teetee and Por did an incredible job with their portrayal of Duang and Qin…phenomenal acting! I also highly recommend the OSTs..so good, I’ve been streaming since the show came out all the way until now. it took me a couple weeks to finally write this review since I finished it when the show ended because of how attached I am to this show.

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Not a masterpiece but good!

This my first drama with ZWY and WCR. And ZWY almost stole the show, he had me laughing out loud way too many times to count in this one. He’s got great comedic timing regardless of who else is in the scene.

This is definitely a romantic comedy with a dash of action. I enjoyed all of the three major couples in this one, too. Except Chang Hua Sen (Zuyi) and Yuan Yu Xuan (Xue Ji) pair really stole the show for me. It was beautiful display of how one’s second true love, after one’s youth, can grow and sneak up on you before you realize the truth. Usually, emperors are the worst in the shows so this was a nice change and I appreciated his gentleness with her before he gave up on his first love. And I’m looking forward to seeing Chang Hua Sen as a leading man because his angsty eyes were A++.

And shout out to the costume designers for this show. The robes for the male leads were absolutely stunning. Honestly, out of all the historical CDramas I’ve watched this one definitely has my favorite Emperor styling - the white with red underneath hit every time he was on screen in it.

I doubt I’ll rewatch but I’m glad I watched this.

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"No place on Earth is more screwed up than here"

WONDERfools was wonderfully quirky, silly, and fun. That’s not to say it wasn’t flawed, but I was able to overlook the more egregious issues I had with the drama for the Super Friends sake.

Eun Chae Ni was born with a bad heart and is deteriorating fast. It's 1999 and all she wants is to live long enough to witness the end of humanity on December 31st as is being predicted. She’s never been out of Haeseong and is determined to take a trip in defiance of her grandmother’s orders. Chae Ni aka Trainwreck develops a scam to make money for the trip which goes very wrong, implicating her two best friends, Ro Bin aka the Sap King and Son Ahjussi aka Nightmare. City Hall clerk Lee Un Jeong aka Mr. Oddball finds himself dragged into their madness as a nefarious force lurks in the shadows hoping to bring about the apocalypse.

This drama felt like the writer had watched old reruns of Dark Angel (2000-2002) and pitched the story like this, “What if we use the Manticore concept only make it more of a comedy? With the female lead and her friends having the emotional maturity of seven-year-olds?” I also saw strong resemblances to Guardians of the Galaxy, Super Friends, and name whatever zombie movie you prefer. There were times the super trio’s antics and emotional outbursts could be exhausting. I’m not a fan of slapstick comedy but I actually laughed frequently throughout this drama though there were times it drew eyerolls as well. The acting varied widely. Park Eun Bin and Choi Dae Hoon have some serious acting chops and Im Sung Jae held up his end of the super triangle as well. I was happy to see Kim Hae Sook have a substantial role as the boss grandmother who wasn’t afraid to tangle with the dark forces of Manticore, I mean Wunderkind, to protect her grandchild. The biggest problem I had with the drama was the romance, I’ll note why in a spoiler section under the date of this review.

WONDERfools had deaths in it and characters had suffered childhood traumas, but none of the losses carried any real weight to them as the comedy rode roughshod over most of the darker elements. I’m a sucker for friend stories and though they were the oddest ducks in town, Chae Ni, Ro Bin, and Son Ahjussi strengthened their bonds and also grew as people. They even went from a triangle to a square by adding in Mr. Oddball Lee Un Jeong---whether he liked it or not. If you enjoy super hero friends that lean toward the humorous offbeat end of the measuring stick, WONDERfools might be one to try.

25 May 2026
Trigger warning: Worms coming out of the skin of one character---I had to skip over a few short scenes. *shudder*

Spoiler comment follows---


















***SPOILER COMMENTS***
Jeong attempted to kill Chae Ni to test her powers which could have ended in her death if he was wrong. But most troublesome was when he handed her over to Dr. Ha and his chamber of death knowing what awaited her. And then strongly resisted agreeing to help rescue her. These two actions, regardless of his motivations and rough childhood were not romantic lead actions for me. He was far too easily forgiven by the other main characters, especially Chae Ni. I don’t care how emotionally stunted and lonely Chae Ni was, two attempted murders make for an enormous red flag and huge NO for romance. Maybe in a second or third season when he had truly earned that forgiveness and trust I'd accept it.

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One of the Most Heartwarming Series I have seen (and I have watched over 400 at this point)

My Rating: 10/10

This is a beautifully heartwarming romance filled with vivid, deeply lovable characters you quickly grow attached to. It explores themes of kindness as a transformative force—how consistent gentleness and compassion can soften even the hardest hearts and shift attitudes in meaningful ways. The story also celebrates found family, genuine friendships, and building the supportive relationships we all crave.

If you love feel-good romances that leave you smiling and a little misty-eyed, this one is absolutely worth watching. It balances emotional depth with lighter, joyful moments and handles more complex themes with surprising grace. Several characters are transvestite, but they are integrated naturally as important parts of the story rather than feeling shoehorned in. For me (and I’m religious), it was one of the most tasteful and respectful portrayals I’ve seen—it doesn’t preach or force a viewpoint, and the characters’ kindness and humanity shine through regardless of background. The exterior details ultimately matter far less than the goodness within, and that message only enriched the central romance instead of distracting from it.

If you’re open to stories that mix sweet romance with reflections on family dynamics, personal growth, and chosen family, this is a standout. Highly recommended.

Spoilers

The only minor element that stood out (though not enough to detract from my perfect score) was how negatively most marriages were portrayed. From a cultural perspective as someone from the US, it was also jarring to see the overbearing, sometimes emotionally and physically abusive parental dynamics common in the story—though the show doesn’t present these behaviors as good or ideal. Understanding a bit about Thai cultural context around family hierarchy and even informal mistresses helped frame it, but it still felt heavy at times.

That said, the characters more than made up for any discomfort. Mata (female lead) was an absolute delight—a free-spirited, kind-hearted force of nature who operated from a place of genuine love, largely thanks to her wonderful father. Watching her gently dismantle the grandfather’s gruff exterior and win over difficult people through unwavering kindness was one of the most satisfying arcs. She served as a balm for the male lead, who had endured harsh treatment from his own father (with his mother not intervening until later). Their growing connection, and the way her family acted as a mirror highlighting healthier ways of relating, was deeply moving.

Grace (another key character) felt like kindness personified—she embodied many of the compassionate ideals I associate with strong moral teaching, gently encouraging others to respond with understanding rather than anger. I also really appreciated learning the backgrounds of the transvestite characters; revealing them as highly educated added welcome layers and avoided stereotypes.

The cousin Try’s storyline was tragic and affecting. His mother’s past cruelty (especially the mental abuse toward him) was hard to watch, and while his forgiveness made sense given the cultural and familial context, it was tough for me to fully accept—she never seemed to take full accountability. I was glad he didn’t end up romantically with the woman originally intended for an arranged connection with the male lead. Both are quite broken, and the story wisely seemed to position them as friends rather than partners. The hint that Try might connect with her friend (someone who could help him grow while he boosts her confidence) felt much healthier and more hopeful.

The dogs were surprisingly wonderful additions to the story! Olive’s slow acceptance of the female lead was almost as rewarding as the main romance’s solidification. The dogs served as perfect litmus tests for character—people the dogs trusted were almost always good at heart.

I loved the nosy, initially hostile neighbor’s transformation through persistent kindness into a true friend and advocate. The party scene where the father tried to humiliate Mata was intense, but it became a powerful turning point, prompting the mother to finally step up for her son.

The male lead was wonderfully written too—kind despite his upbringing, with a strong support network of doctor friends at the hospital. Their gentle (and sometimes not-so-gentle) pushing regarding his feelings for the other doctor was adorable. The hospital staff’s protocols for dealing with his chaotic family members added realistic texture, while their warm care for Mata’s father was touching. The heart operation scene with the father carried beautiful symbolism about kindness and healing. I also enjoyed the subplot with the friend, the father, and the grandmother—watching them confront past mistakes and rebuild into a loving family was hopeful and satisfying.

Overall, the romance, the emphasis on chosen family, the power of kindness, and the growth across so many characters made this an incredibly rewarding watch. The beautiful central love story, supported by all these rich relationships (human and canine!), is what I’ll remember most. A true 10/10 for me.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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Situationship MAX

If you're a kpop fanboy who is also queer/LGBTQ and likes fashion this series is definitely for you. Queer representation is sooo important to me, as a guy that is often seen as 'too feminine' this whole series I word for word my comfort. I'm a hugeee fan of Proxie and BTS and other groups. Kpop is already seen in general as a 'feminine interest' but seeing guys like it in series really makes me cry bro, I'm not even joking. Like I said in the title; A series where I'm definitely DIYing/inspiring the clothes from.

Don't get me started on the music in this series. Not only is the OST SUPER PEAK the other songs they used in the series like Hype boy, Spring day are also VERYYYY good. Genuinely jumped when they mentioned BTS and spring day and as an army I love how they added the joke about RM not being able to drive and not having a license (he got one this year!). I fucking love how they also mentioned Proxie a lot as a Proxie fan. Intro I would NOT skip, because the song and colours are sooo good. Not surprised since Thai people are very proud of Lisa from Blackpink but Blackpink is also mentioned!!! Love how the normal version of เลิกกั๊กแล้วรักก่อน is used with some feelings in episode 3. To break it down there's also a sped version.

I fucking love how they're fanboys and have like pins and photo card holders of their faves and Bua and Baabin got their situationship due to them fanboying over Blackpink. I also love how they finally don't whitewash any characters since I see that a lot in Thai series. I recently saw Est supha in naughty babe and his skin was LIT so much different than in his latest roles. No hate to him btw!

About the whole gel boy thing, I love their nails sooo much. I'm not sure if any of ya'll noticed but background characters are wearing makeup. I think representation is sooo good when it comes to this series. I hate how I'm often perceived as a girl but I'm genuinely thinking of getting my nails done inspired by theirs. Love how their nails become a trend in the friend group and how everyone is slowly getting more comfortable with themselves (to a certain point).

About the characters itself, FUCK AND I MEAN FUCK Chian. Chian is like soo problematic. TF u mean you're hitting on someone else purely to make Bua jealous and to get over him? This is sooo unfair for Fou4mod. To be honest I've seen people also calling Fou4mod problematic but to be very honest I'm not sure what to think of him. Yes, he is a cause of a relationship but I also get him. I saw someone on reddit calling him 'unintentionally problematic'. Because he caused sooo much pain for Baabin. Baabin is such a sweetheart and I wished him the best but Bua and Fou4mod still KINDA treated him like trash. Look, Bua was crushing on Chian back while Chian was trying to get over him. They KEPT ignoring Baabin bro he deserves soooo much better.

Something that made me laugh was covid in begin 2025? I'm not sure when it was filmed but It's actually quite nice to see them making people aware that covid still exists. And then they try to clear it up in a call?? LMAOOO

Alsooo while watching the last ep I accidentally punched myself a swollen eye. ITS SO FUNNY HELP BUT ITS SO SWOLLEN AND A PINK EYE NOW ASWELL. Also love how Leon Zech is literately me. Like I'm also like 1/4 of many countries AND German!!

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A Simple and Heartwarming Youth BL

Started watching Smile After Tears on iQIYI and honestly, I enjoyed it more than I expected. Even though it has 12 episodes, each episode is very short, just a little over 20 minutes once you skip the intro and ending music video, so it is an easy watch during a short lunch break.

This is another high school music romance, but with a three way love story that keeps things interesting. The series stays simple and light without trying too hard to be overly dramatic. All three main actors are young and fit their characters well. Jun Jia’s love at first sight for Yan Kai was especially cute to watch, and their interactions had a soft charm to them.

One thing I really enjoyed was the music aspect. The performances felt natural because the actors can actually sing and play instruments, which made the band scenes much more believable and enjoyable. The music videos and soundtrack also added a nice emotional touch to the series.

So far, the acting could still improve because some scenes feel predictable and slightly awkward at times. The story is also fairly straightforward, so it will not surprise viewers looking for something deep or intense. Still, the youthful energy and sweet atmosphere make it a relaxing watch.

At the moment, I would give it a solid 8/10. It is not groundbreaking, but it is charming, easy to watch, and perfect if you want a light BL with music, romance, and lovable young characters. Now I am curious to see how the remaining episodes develop the love triangle and emotional side of the story.

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