Reviews

Came for Keng, stayed for TleFirstone

My first horror/supernatural BL and honestly I only watched it because of all the good reviews. Personally I don't need all of that supernatural ghost stuff but it was nicely done, the underlying plot is simple but good and the special effects aren't too cringe. Styling and set designs are amazing, but what really stands out is the acting and how much depth and backstory every character gets. Keng Harit is stunningly beautiful and I liked how Namping played his character. Still, it was Tle and FirstOne's couple that really made this a great watch for me. They have incredible chemistry and their story was so well done: two great actors playing two great characters! I think the ending was a bit too cheesy (they really went all out hahaha) and I wouldn't rewatch it but it's a solid show with very high production value!

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Extremely addictive

I can't get out of my head the fight scene from the first episode, simply epic. I’m amazed at how incredibly engaging and funny the stories are when HMH plays the ml, perfectly balanced. Btw, he’s tougher and more ruthless in this one. The fl is beautiful and has great acting skills. Let's see how the story unfolds. I’m really excited!

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Made my heart smile!!

Boss and Noeul have done it again. They always make it easy to immerse myself in whatever world they build for me in their series. I expected to laugh and feel good, and it exceeded my expectations. The story was simple but so enjoyable. You could not help but fall in love with Fu and Moo. I can tell BN loved playing these characters because that joy came across on screen. The natural chemistry between BN was intimate and powerful. As expected, this series did not disappoint in the sexy moments either. The rest of the cast was also fantastic and laid the groundwork for the subsequent books in this series.

This series is definitely on my rewatch list whenever I need a heartwarming, funny, sexy rom-com.

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I had such high hopes...

The leads were everything. Gorgeous, funny, great chemistry whether sparring with words or kissing. I was feeling such a sense of happiness that I was FINALLY getting a decent rom com. Then, about halfway through, the tone changed 180 degrees and left me with more questions than answers.

Why was the original king so scared? Was his death an accident or murder? Why, exactly, was the queen mother so determined to hang on to the monarchy? How did BWS just "happen" to find IU when her brakes failed and save her? IU's character was so anxious to get a title, yet she kept flouting the rules, which certainly didn't score any points for her. Why did IU's assistant, after spending an entire show demonstrating strength and ability, suddenly become a sniveling "girl" when she knew that the prince was in the fire? So out of character. Oh, and IU going in to save him in that heavy coat and without anything to protect her breathing. That coat would have caught fire in a second.

But my biggest complaint was the story arc of the Prime Minister. They turned him evil at the end, and I couldn't help but feel they were trying to write themselves out of a corner because they couldn't think of anything else to do. So, ultimately, what happened to him?

This could have been so much more, if they'd kept the romantic comedy and decreased the palace intrigues - especially since they just brought questions.

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Going Crazy Watching The Moo-Sense

Okay I started seeing so many people gassing this show up and I’ve finished it with the thought…did we all watch the same show!? This was a hot mess, it did have me cracking up at points but that didn’t make it a good show overall. Boss and Noeul deserve much better material to work with, and this along with BNW was low tier. Their chemistry is always solid, but the scripts are nonsensical or just poorly written overall because the plot is lost amongst the insanity. There was also some issues taken with the “Chinese” looking comments and rightfully so. It comes off insensitive even to me who doesn’t belong to that ethnicity.

Finally for the side couples. The youngest brother in high school really didn’t stand out in the show. The middle brother I really liked but him and the cafe worker barely had any screen time or development. And the friend, though I love sex positivity within shows, his character too was just kind of thrown in there randomly.

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Not a New Story, But Beautifully Told

A familiar story elevated by outstanding production quality

“Ancient Bracelet” may not bring the most original premise to the table — a cursed emperor suffering from a frost curse and a female lead with a special saintess-like destiny — but it proves that a well-told story can still be captivating when every other element is done exceptionally well.

The drama has the look and feel of a much larger-budget historical production, with beautiful cinematography, impressive sets, elegant costumes, and attention to detail throughout. Every scene feels carefully crafted and visually pleasing.

The acting is another strong point. The leads deliver convincing performances, and their chemistry feels natural rather than forced. Their relationship develops in a believable way, making their emotional connection one of the main reasons to keep watching.

While the storyline itself follows some familiar historical fantasy tropes, the strong execution, engaging pacing, and excellent performances make it easy to overlook the lack of originality. Sometimes a drama does not need a completely new idea — it just needs to tell its story well.

Overall, “Ancient Bracelet” is a beautifully made and enjoyable short series that delivers quality, romance, and a satisfying viewing experience.

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First decent makjang in years

Oh my god was this a nice surprise. Really did not expect anything at all, and am not a fan of AI, but I do appreciate that they put a warning before every episode recognizing that they do use it.

Story: Classic makjang plot, BUT they also poke fun of the cliches and play up all the ridiculous elements in an enjoyable way.
Characters: Distinct and diverse, they're all kind of weird but it's believable. Plenty of comedic relief from the characters, even when it's supposed to be "tragic," so it doesn't feel like a drag sitting through scenes typical of all makjang dramas.
Acting: A cast of familiar faces. Pretty much all of them are veterans and good at what they do except for the male lead. So far no redeeming qualities from him, but that's expected, and I can just tune him out, thanks to the supporting characters doing the heavy lifting and keeping viewers from getting frustrated.

Really enjoying it so far, no idea how they'll drag it out for 120 episodes, maybe I'll come back and update this review once all episodes are out. What can I say? This show scratches the makjang itch.

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Conflicted

I watched up till episode 4 and I cringe when the male lead hits or kicks his co star. It is so unnecessary. Quirky is okay but to push for a value that says it is acceptable to verbally and physically abuse another human being shocked me. One person in his/her review said that the male lead always protects the female lead regardless of him abusing her himself. Does that make it somehow acceptable?
Very enjoyable story but the violence towards women makes me wonder if I can actually watch end out. Maybe I can, but the twisted values are a bit much. I will have to negotiate on my values to be able to watch end out and I am wondering if that is either the director's aim to make a person compromise values or if it is a Japanese core value? Or just one director's twisted take on relationships.

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Poteva anche andare più in profondità

Detto questo, comunque un prodotto molto molto valido. E secondo me avrebbero potuto osare di più con la parte psicologica, anche se comunque mi è piaciuto molto come il protagonista abbia deciso che, anche se si sarebbe messo assieme con l'altro velocemente doveva comunque fare un ragionamento su se stesso e su quello che poi sarebbe stato il loro futuro. Mi è piaciuto anche il nostro veterinario in erba che si ritrova in una di quelle situazioni che potenzialmente nemmeno cercandole si troverebbero normalmente, e ne esce in fin dei conti vincitore. Una piccola parte di me avrebbe preferito vedere qualcosa in più del fatto che la tipa lo ha, in fin dei conti, tradito e che lui, anche se comunque in parte per la sua filosofia di vita, la perdona molto in fretta e non solo, ma la fa anche rientrare a far parte del loro gruppo verso la fine. Ecco considerando che tutta sta storia è successo per questo, magari ampliare leggermente questa questione. Detto questa serie è tanto piacevole, quanto ti permette di parlare di alcuni argomenti abbastanza profondi come la gelosia che rovina le persone e quanto male ti può fare l'amore. Quindi, no. Per essere uno dei BL che mi sto chillando in recupero, devo dire proprio molto bene.

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They used AI Generated scene

This series had me hooked the moment i saw So Ji Sub. And the plot looked really intriguing to me and it was like a Korean version of John Wick. And i really enjoyed the first episode. But as i was watching backstory scene of Manager Kim, the whole black and white scene looked off. The shots, environment and characters faces looked really off. Then I noticed that it was AI generated scene. And some people think it's not a big deal and don't care about it. But to me this matters a lot. it's just insulting to human's artistic side and skills. It takes lot of time and commitment for people to learn certain skills and knowledge and it's no different with people who works behind the scenes. Film director, art director, production designer, camera operator and so on. Even the Actor and actress. All of these talented people come together with years of knowledge and experience to create these incredible masterpieces. But then using generative AI is just like ripping out their entire work and producing soulless slop. I mean i understand why they did it. It will reduce the cost for the budget. But that doesn't make it justifiable. If it was used for only few shots, that would've been fine. But a whole damn multiple scene? It is unacceptable.

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Romcom with Generous Amount of Comendy... and Misunderstandings

My Roommate is A Gumiho is a typical classic romcom kdrama. The story was about a university student, who accidentally tangled with a 999 years old Gumiho after she swallowed his marble. It's a very lightweight romcom and easy to enjoy, with a lot of swooning moments. The amount of comedy is generous, and for a kdrama it's quite consistent throughout the show.

Jang Ki Yong played as Shin Woo Yeo, the male lead, while Hyeri became the female lead Lee Dam. Dam was a very simple thinking and straightforward person, very easy to like. While both casts played each character well, I somehow felt the chemistry was missing. Not only between the couple, but also between Dam and her two friends, Jae Jin and Su Gyeong, and even with her other college friends as well. The chemistry was very thin, especially in the earlier phase. The only exception is the love line between Yang Hye Sun and Do Jae Jin, their chemistry was my motivation to keep watching.

Pacing is a big problem in this show: For a romcom, this show is too slow. Instead of focusing on something like Woo Yeo and Dam's story or how to became human quickly, the story was going all over the place. The problems on this show were always appeared due to same reasons: zero communications. They piled up misunderstandings, looks like the writer tried to insert anything to keep the story 16 episodes long. Gye Seon U character was a total a**hole. Even before tied with the red thread, he kept hitting on Dam, though she had rejected him multiple times and said she had a boyfriend. The fact that he had once treated the relationship as a bet, and decided to continue pursuing it made it looks more disgusting. At the end, they tried to made us pity him? Hell nah!!

So I think this is good to watch once, maybe if you don't have anything to watch or looking for some lightweight romcom. But should you rewatch it? I don't think so.

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Writer obviously didn't know how to conclude the show

I watched it the year that was realised i was so exited cause it was another work of daddy ji sung♡i was on edge every episode never ceased to excite me ....the tension was high thoughout the whole series then.....comes the damn last episode! It was obvious even the writer didn't know how to end things there was still so many thing unsolved! writer obviously know how revolve everything around and how to keep building up the tension but he/she didn't know how to conclude it....
I was sure the moment it ended that never gonna have another season cause they don't know how to continue it!!!even if they bring in a new team of writers it won't help cause they made a mess at end of the story no one is able to save this mess.
it left such bad taste that i can still feel it in my mouth even after a few years passing! It was the wrost ending ever and yes only the ending is the reason for low rating!
And also music didn’t left any impression on me

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As long as you're with me, you won't feel scared

This movie adaptation was overall very solid. While it did have to cut several minor plotlines and at least one major one from the manga due to time constraints, I liked the writers' choice to rework the script in a way that preserved the feeling of the original while giving themselves enough wiggle room to abridge and condense some of the more complex subplots without sacrificing the overall internal logic of the story.

The characters remained consistent with their original selves and the actors nicely captured the despair these lonely people were feeling, as well as their clumsy and desperate attempts to find connection with someone who understand them. The dialogue in particular was well utilized to explain important concepts while keeping the plot moving in a cohesive direction—while the first half of the movie can be confusing for people who haven't read the source material, I found that the second half tied the plotlines together rather nicely and provided enough context to help the viewer along, granted you aren't watching this in the background while focusing on some other activity.

My favourite aspect of this adaptation was the production quality, though. The photography and lighting were especially well done, giving a sharp and somber feeling to the movie that perfectly fit with the mystery/suspense plotline. The scenarios, while mostly made up of dingy streets and half-empty buildings, actually enhanced the gritty aesthetics of the story, as did the understated costume design. The editing was also very consistent, and it managed to balance the many different threads of the story without losing track of how all the subplots fit together or making the pace feel stilted or overly scattered.

Also, I want to emphasize that the BL aspects of this story are mostly unspoken and hinted at throughout the movie, so don't go into this expecting it to have any on-screen discussion or even resolution. Just like in the manga, the storyline related to the curses takes precedence and you have to read between the lines to infer the main characters' romantic entanglement. But make no mistake: the whole exorcism plot is a thinly veiled metaphor for their relationship, both romantic and physical, and you can see how it develops through sexual innuendos, casual touches, and one or two insane life-long promises (was it casual when they called each other their fate???).

Lastly, a fun fact: Akutami Gege, the author of Jujutsu Kaisen, is a fan of Yamashita-sensei's work and used some of the plot points from The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window as an inspiration for his own series! You can see it more clearly in the manga as it delves into curse manipulation and curse users, so I recommend checking it out if that interests you.

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The hook was community

Greetings,
I watched this all the way through with little fast forwarding because I was interested in its unique view into a slice of oceanside working life.

This is not the kind of thing I normally enjoy. It's mostly a typical "meh" romance: excruciating storytelling detail balanced mainly by daily, prosaic activities with little serious excitement. It unfolds slowly, over almost 6 years of story, very slow pacing, and the romance took forever, until literally the second-to-last episode, to ignite! Aside from this typical genre complaint I have one major annoyance to share, then I'll explain why its worth watching anyway.

There is a behavior common to many dramas that drives me to distraction... This is the problem-causing Failure to Communicate - and often a failure to express ANYTHING you'd expect - like a smile when glad to see someone, a thought that is relevant, a feeling or need when it comes up, or a hug when everyone is aching. Really, anything, give us something, PLEASE! Such fails are plot tropes, unfortunately used heavily in the primary romantic relationship of this show. I'm pretty sure that without this crud, the series would have been snappier, more engaging, and 1/3 shorter.

The poor communication is accompanied by lots of what I call the "dead fish stare", where the viewer is expected to exercise all the heavy lifting of imagining what feelings must predominate in the moment, as literally NOTHING is being expressed in characters' face or posture, and of course, they are not using their words either. And there are waaaayyyy too many moments like this peppered in every episode, particularly from the female lead character. It's as if the actor has been told to try their best to act like a piece of wood at every critical relationship-development moment.

So why did I watch? Not for the romance, but for the rest of the story! Despite the tiresome annoyance, I was touched by myriad times that feelings and intentions were indeed expressed beautifully, subtly, or passionately. We could see the weave of a community fabric, with quirky and well-meaning characters, their varied dyadic interactions, resilience in duress, and heart-warmth toward one another that was sweet and moving. This show is worth watching because we get to know numerous amusing characters, we see gradual resolutions, and we see the unique shared dance of a set of good people moving and thriving together in their world. For me, not being from seaside, the seafood industry, and the ways individuals find to grow and conduct commerce in an insular community, were interesting. There is believable intimacy at various relationship levels. Its truly a slice of life, bittersweet, hopeful, and with a tender treatment of realistic personal challenges, unfolding with perseverance, forward to gentle successes. A human story.

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