Completed
Crazy Love, Moo-Moo!
0 people found this review helpful
16 days ago
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.5
Story 6.5
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 5.0
This review may contain spoilers

Stupid but entertaining

Crazy Love, Moo-Moo is stupid and it knows it. The comedy is self aware and at its strongest when it's poking fun at BL conventions, breaking the fourth wall, and fully committing to the absurdity.

This is exemplified perfectly in the first act of the series where Fu (Boss doing his best Khun Thee impression) relentlessly tries to win over Moo-Moo, who is sick of his bullshit (but secretly like it). Shenanigans involving cringe worthy pick up lines, public humiliation, and winks and nudges to the camera ensue. It's pure fun and will surely give viewers a dose of serotonin.

Unfortunately the series enters downward spiral after Fu and Moo-Moo get together. It was as if they ran out of plot and just started throwing shit at the wall:
Moo's rival stays at Fu's hotel and starts flirting with him? Great!
Fu and a new staff member of the hotel get shipped together online? Sure!
Moo's Highschool crush returns and starts pursuing him? Okay!
Criminals use Fu's hotel to traffic drugs and he goes undercover with the police to stop them? Why the hell not!

Despite all this, no feasible tension in Moo-Moo and Fu's relationship forms, and issues are squashed as soon as they arise. Which is honestly kind of refreshing considering the onslaught of miscommunication in BLs. But because their relationship was never actually threatened I found myself losing interest and by episode 8 I was no longer invested in Moo-Moo and Fu's relationship, even skipping their NC scene. (Which is a big time failure on the series' part considering its job is to make viewers care about the main couple.)

Another one of my major qualms with this series is the overabundance of sound effects. Sound effects are a staple in Thai comedies and can be really effective. But it gets to a point... When I tell you there are scenes where vine booms are genuinely used at the end of every sentence...

On the positive side the excessive sound effects further confirm the series is not taking itself seriously, which is its primary charm.

If you are looking for some mindless entertainment and comedy you have come to the right place. If you are looking for a good plot and emotional depth go somewhere else. (Also beware of this series' intro song. It has been stuck in my head for two months.)

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Completed
Crazy Love, Moo-Moo!
6 people found this review helpful
by Daxxy
16 days ago
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 10

Great light hearted entertainment

I don’t understand the mean spirited reviews of this show. I’m fairly new to BLs and this is the first Thai BL comedy that was truly a comedy from start to finish that I have watched. And it was a charming, amusing little series that was a wonderful way to escape reality each week and have a laugh. There were moments of drama and tension, but only to drive the plot forward or develop character, that never dragged the show into melodrama. Sometimes it was over the top and the comedy really in your face but it worked. Round that out with some sweet, tender moments and a fun opening theme and you get some great, light hearted entertainment.

Of course the show belongs to BossNoeul who anchor it with the other characters being satellites around them. Boss’s comedic turn as Fu was an unexpected gem and it was great to see Noeul bring his very natural sass to be his foil. Their undeniable chemistry and obvious ease with and trust in each other means the on screen relationship feels comfortable and fun to watch unlike some where the actors seem almost afraid to get too close and put the audience on edge. The show seemed busy with characters coming and going but it wasn’t confusing, helped keep the pace from dragging and a great way to suggest the story will continue with further development of Fu’s brothers Tai and Tee. And possibily even Tian!

Crazy Love Moo Moo isn’t out to change the world, merely entertain it for a short time and it does this. It never takes it self seriously, occasionally pokes fun at it self while remaining pretty much firmly footed in the real world and that’s a nice change! I will definitely have this on my rewatch list when I want something I can laugh along with.

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Completed
Key to the Phoenix Heart
60 people found this review helpful
16 days ago
28 of 28 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

It’s been a long time since I watched anything that’s not a K-drama…

Note: I will be constantly updating this review as more episode comes out. For right now, I am enjoying this show. I am not familiar with the cast yet, but they seem to be great actors/actresses. I have judged cdrama actors/actresses acting for a long time (or maybe those were from the short dramas I watched?), so this was a complete surprise to me. Most of the time I watch K-dramas because of their acting, but this one did just as well in my opinion. Both leads are also very good-looking, so it’s a plus.

Update: Already done!

Acting: 10/10

The acting in this drama feels incredibly refreshing and unlike anything I've watched before, especially Xiao Wuyi's performance. I absolutely love it. As someone who's mostly watched K-dramas, I'm used to highly expressive emotional scenes where characters cry loudly, shout, and break down dramatically. This drama took a completely different approach, and I found it far more captivating. Wuyi’s emotions felt restrained yet deeply powerful and more realistic for a man like him. It was remarkable. His facial expressions and, especially, his eyes do so much of the storytelling. Whether it's intentional "eye acting" or simply exceptional acting, it's one of the strongest male performances I've seen in a long time.

Some of my favorite emotional moments include: *Crying while forcing a smile, with heartbreak visible only through his eyes.
*Holding back tears in anger, trying to remain composed while the tears fall anyway.
*Expressing sadness without saying a single word.
*Looking genuinely terrifying and murderous one moment, then soft, vulnerable, and innocent the next.
*Seamlessly switching between the aura of a calculating villain and a harmless deer within seconds.

The way his eyes change with every emotion is magical. It's subtle, nuanced, and incredibly immersive.

Story / Script: 10/10

This is one of the best-written dramas I've watched in a long time. The script constantly kept me at the edge of my seat with its suspense, emotional conflicts, political intrigue, and unexpected character dynamics. Every episode ended on a cliffhanger that made it almost impossible not to immediately watch the next one.

One of my favorite trope was the relationship between the male lead (ML), female lead (FL), and second male lead (SML). Instead of the usual love triangle, the ML was actually helping the FL run away with the SML. That alone made the story feel fresh and unpredictable. It almost felt like the ML is placed in the "second male lead" position, but because the story was told from his perspective, I ended up rooting for him. With Limao, I never experienced second lead syndrome because the main character Wuyi himself already gave me that bittersweet second lead feeling (in a good way). It was such an interesting dynamic that I haven't really seen before.

I'm also a huge fan of morally gray characters and villains with compelling backstories. So having a protagonist who carries a villain-like aura while occasionally revealing flashes of innocence is exactly the kind of character I enjoy watching. The story also balances multiple genres extremely well. It combines historical drama, warfare, political strategy, friendship, family, romance, suspense, comedy, and emotional character development without making any of them feel neglected.

Xie Jiayu underwent the most significant character development here, and it was a beautiful thing to witness. From a young girl who couldn't even tell the difference between being a couple and being close friends to a mature woman who endured life's ups and downs without ever wavering. She was the light in Xiao Wuyi’s life, and I loved that about her.


Why some viewers may find it confusing:

I can understand why some people might struggle with the first few episodes. The pacing is quite fast, and the story immediately throws viewers into a complex historical setting involving princes, regents, nobles, warlords, military strategies, and multiple factions competing for power. This isn't the type of drama you can casually play in the background. You really have to pay attention to the dialogue and subtitles, especially because there is a twist almost in every episode. No matter, I think the political intrigue was executed very well because even when I occasionally had to rewind (a me problem because I read subtitles slow and my eyes are just not that good, iqiyi subs also not as good as viki), I was never bored. If anything, I became even more curious.

Action

The battle scenes were epic, exciting, well choreographed, and contribute meaningfully to the story instead of existing purely for spectacle. However, I do wish there were more.

Comedy

The comedy in the first half provided the perfect balance to the heavier political and emotional moments. I especially enjoyed the female lead's humor. Her comedic timing lightened the atmosphere without making the story feel less serious.

Makeup, Cinematography & Visual Style

One thing that surprised me was the natural visuals. From the Chinese historical drama clips I've seen on TikTok and Facebook, I expected heavy beauty filters and thick skin smoothening makeup. For the most part, this drama looked surprisingly natural with no filter on. I actually prefer this style because it suits the historical war setting much better and gives the drama a more classic, immersive atmosphere.

Overall

I loved the action, suspense, soundtrack, comedy, acting, storyline, political intrigue, the female lead's humor, and the male lead's villainous aura mixed with unexpected moments of innocence. Everything came together in a way that kept me emotionally invested from beginning to end. Kudos to the writers, actors, actresses, and director!

My reaction on the finale: I’m speechless. Instead of losing momentum, the plot somehow kept getting better with every episode. They really kept the suspense until the end. The writing became even stronger, and so did the performances: especially Xiao Wuyi, Xie Jiayu, Empress Dowager, the Grand Tutor, Eagle King and Li Lejun. Their acting elevated every emotional and political scene.

This drama genuinely exceeded my expectations. Going into it, I thought only K-dramas consistently delivered this combination of excellent writing, compelling characters, emotional depth, and outstanding performances. I'm so glad this drama proved me wrong. It deserves far more recognition than it's receiving, and so does the cast.

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Completed
Story of Kunning Palace
0 people found this review helpful
16 days ago
38 of 38 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 5.5
Rewatch Value 9.0

its good but....

ok so i love me a good intense romance like thats what i love but wtf this is so so so good it has all the requirements (and if i can be so fr i dont watch things with unattractive actors/ess so thats an extra point) but the ML is so a red flag like omggg and ik that he has mental problem ut it's almost like they romanticizing this.
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Completed
Perfect Crown
0 people found this review helpful
by Jamie
16 days ago
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 5.0

didn’t live up to its potential

This drama started out strong but continuously fell off the longer it went on, it took me a month to work up the courage to watch the final episode which is very telling. The chemistry between leads was there but also was a bit lacking if you compare it to some other recent watches for me, I did not care for the relationship between the 2 side characters and to put it frankly I feel like it was an unnecessary addition to the plot. If I say the chemistry between the leads was lacking then the chemistry between the second lead couple was completely nonexistent. Overall: first half of the drama is good and then it just gets boring. For me it was too plot driven and the romance almost took a back seat especially in the later episodes, which is fine if that’s what you like but I went into this mainly for the romance so it wasn’t for me.

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If Wishes Could Kill
0 people found this review helpful
17 days ago
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

10/10

If you enjoy high school and horrors, I highly recommend this drama. It completely exceeded my expectations and didn’t disappoint me for a single moment.

The acting is outstanding, and the soundtrack perfectly matches the atmosphere, making every scene even more intense. The story is so well written and disturbing that there were moments when I genuinely felt sick because of how unsettling it was. In my opinion, there aren’t any typical jump scares. Instead, the drama keeps you in a constant state of uncomfortable tension from beginning to end. The characters are well-developed, the pacing is excellent, and every episode leaves you wanting more.
Overall, I would give it a 10/10 without hesitation.

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Secret Lover
0 people found this review helpful
17 days ago
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers

u will need a therapist after

OMG I have this series seen but then I remember i haven't given it a review because are you kidding this series was so peak like i need wat'r right now , OK fr let be serious now
I don't even know where to start because Secret Lovers absolutely ruined me in the best way possible.

This wasn't one of those shows you casually watch in the background. This is the type of series that grabs you by the throat, refuses to let go, and somehow has you smiling, screaming, kicking your feet, and questioning your emotional stability all in the same episode.

The chemistry? Absolutely insane. Every look, every smile, every bit of tension between them had me completely hooked. It never felt forced—it felt natural, like these two characters were pulled into each other's orbit no matter how hard they tried to fight it. Watching them slowly open up and fall for each other was so satisfying that I forgot I was watching a drama.

And don't even get me started on the acting. They didn't just play their characters—they became them. Every emotion landed exactly where it needed to. I laughed with them, stressed with them, and got so attached that finishing the series genuinely left me feeling empty.

What I loved most is that the romance wasn't just there to be cute. It had depth. It had vulnerability. It made you care about these people beyond the love story itself.

By the end, I was just sitting there staring at my screen thinking, "Now what? How am I supposed to move on from this?"

If you're looking for a BL that delivers chemistry, emotions, beautiful moments, and characters you'll probably think about long after the credits roll, Secret Lovers deserves a spot on your watchlist.

10/10. No notes. I wish I could erase my memory just to experience it for the first time again.

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Dropped 3/28
Key to the Phoenix Heart
25 people found this review helpful
17 days ago
3 of 28 episodes seen
Dropped 0
Overall 1.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 1.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 1.0

Mismatch Casting and not Believable age/visual gap

FACTS instead of speculations: (PLEASE DON'T use profanity, nasty comments, you will be BLOCKED.) AGAIN, I am not judging anyone. Please enjoy your show. For people who say that the laws are for REAL relationship, not acting, if you are interested, you can research further what's the harm in casting minors and older actors in romantic relationships. There are age power dynamics/relationships between older actors and minor actors. This has happened in real life acting environment. Abusers have been prosecuted/blacklisted. I am not saying it's happening here. But it a scenario where it can happen.

According to Article 17 of the Civil Code of the People's Republic of China, a natural person aged 18 or above is an adult, while anyone under 18 is a MINOR. "The age of consent for sexual activity is 14 years, with certain exceptions for sexual activity between MINORS."

https://globalchildexploitationpolicy.org/legal-summaries/china

Marriage Age (20/22): Adulthood does not automatically grant marriage rights. The legal marriage age in China is 20 for women and 22 for men

Lead actress Ai Mi (艾米) turned 17 years old during the first week of filming.Her specific age breakdown throughout the production schedule includes:Filming Start (July 15, 2025): She began filming at 17 years old (having celebrated her 17th birthday just two days prior on July 13, 2008).Filming Wrap (November 5, 2025): She was still 17 years old when principal photography officially concluded.Because she was a minor playing opposite 28-year-old actor Hou Minghao (Neo Hou), the production minimized romantic physical contact. According to early statements from the production crew and viewers tracking the project, the storyline focused on political alliance and mutual affection rather than explicit romantic intimacy or kissing scenes.

When a real 17-year-old actress is cast opposite a significantly older adult actor, it creates concerns, even if they are playing fictional characters.Power Dynamics: A minor working with a popular ML actor faces a imbalance of power. This can make it difficult for the minor to voice discomfort during romantic or intimate scenes.



I did see 3 eps of the drama. It's an engaging story, but I decided to stop, especially when the 2nd ML (30 yrs old) shows up. I think ultimately, it's the way the FL looks. She has a lot more makeup on compared to when she was younger. She's amazing beautiful but next to the older actors, she still looks very young. It's not believable for me.

ML has a wife and marries her as a 2nd concubine

ML acts well. FL acts well. But together = no chemistry as the age gap/visuals are too huge, especially when she is only 17 years old. She looks like a little girl next to him. The authenticity of a couple is not believable for me.

Wishing everyone a good show!

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Completed
Ticket to Heaven
1 people found this review helpful
17 days ago
6 of 6 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

Good! Brevity Killed It Though

I hate that this did not resonate with me like I see that it has with so many other people. Ticket To Heaven was my most anticipated GMMTV BL of 2025 out of 18 (?) BL series announced. I think I'm more upset by my expectations than the actual series.

Let's Dive In.

Ticket To Heaven is no means a bad series. It is a great series, Gemini and Fourth have a powerhouse chemistry that is just as fervent here as it was in their past series. The cinematography is gorgeous, with a subtle grain and muted gray color palette that perfectly complements the story's tone. I also appreciated the lack of heavy beauty filters. Being able to see the actors' natural skin and facial details made everything feel much more grounded. The performances across the board are stellar, and the central question the series poses, "Can I love God and men too?" is both poignant and painfully too-real. Where the series loses me, unfortunately, is its brevity.

I genuinely think this story could have benefited from at least 4 more episodes. There were several plotlines that felt like they were only scratching the surface, but the biggest one was Barth and Tanrak's relationship. I love yearning. I love watching two people desperately want each other while circumstances keep them apart, and for the first three episodes, the series delivered exactly that. The final three episodes didn't have the same effect. I wanted more time with the slow burn. After the almost-kiss in the wash room, I would have loved to see Tanrak continue wrestling with his feelings while still pushing Barth away. Let that longing build even more before finally giving us the kiss in maybe episode 5, or even the finale. I think my expectations were shaped by the idea that this would be a slow romance, and honestly, I believe it could have been if the series had been given more room to breathe.

This is mostly me being nitpicky. Overall, Ticket To Heaven succeeds in many ways. It tells a compelling love story about two people trying to find each other while navigating the restrictions and expectations of religion. Even if it didn't completely land for me, I can absolutely understand why it has resonated so deeply with so many others.

Story: 7.5/10 - Good parts, parts that could've been better. Good though.

Acting: 9/10 - Good! Gemini definitely surprised me!

Music: 6/10 - Didn't pay much attention to it. Definitely did not care for the title sequence song.

Recommendation Value 8/10: Sure, if religious torture is your thing? But overall, it's honestly pretty light on what you'd think it'd be pretty tough on. Also, Gemini is so hot in this, so yes, go for it!

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17 days ago
2 of 2 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

A great bonding between siblings this drama gives a warm hug and make you wanna cry so bad

I just came across this and i was kinda busy with my exams going on so i didn't watch kdrama for like 3-4 months which is so rare becoz i usually watch on going kdramas on a daily basis and becoz of the long gap i wasn’t getting the interest to watch so i got recommendation of this and i thought this would be good becoz its only 2 episode it will be fast paced drama and i really can go back to my normal routine.I didn't expect this to be this good!!!!!!!! Bowled my eyes out ryt now my eyes are swollen af thank good i got this recommendation i would have been missed so much if i hadn't watch this drama. I loved how everybodys perspective had shown except her dad i really wanted them to have a note too but sadly there wasn’t also i was dying to know why she took that step and kinda disappointed with why they didn't reveal that but tbh it was for the best if her brother would have known the reason it would have been more complicated and traumatising as for now I'm so happy for them but THE LAST SCENE WHERE SHE TOOK DIFFERENT PATH AND GIVES A LOOK LIKE I HAVE DONE MY WORK(them to be live happy and pursue their dreams) I was so heart broken to see her go to different path. This is all drama ik but i wish the best for her and wanna give a long warm hugs!! She went through alot and was so responsible being a maknae!!😭😭🫂🫂🫂❤️❤️

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Completed
The First Jasmine
3 people found this review helpful
17 days ago
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 3.5
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 10
Rewatch Value 1.5

meh

story started good then got very boring, the little action scenes were good. acting good as always from everyone. soundtrack excellent. .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
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Ongoing 18/28
Key to the Phoenix Heart
28 people found this review helpful
17 days ago
18 of 28 episodes seen
Ongoing 0
Overall 10
Story 6.5
Acting/Cast 5.0
Music 10
Rewatch Value 5.0
This review may contain spoilers

Could have been done better

Episodes 1-6

I’m finding everything pretty easy to follow. A few times watching the first 6 episodes I had to pause and go back just a little to reread what I heard so that way I could remember who the different people are and what their positions are and it’s all been pretty easy to follow so far.

Good amount of comedy, the FL show shows her good nature, virtuous, and mischievous personality we get to know her more and we get to know the ML lead more. He’s very serious and focused on his own personal goals. Doesn’t seem too interested in things outside of that but because of Jia Yu he learns more about her, but she doesn’t remember meeting him so he has a bit of an advantage here.

I am not loving this show. I am watching it but it is not as great as it could have been.

Episodes 7-18

I am a huge fan of HMH. But as the episodes go on, I am struggling with the age of the FL. 17/28/29 is just gross to me as an adult. Especially after the inappropriate comments made by the director. They really should have cast an adult FL. I not only don’t see romantic chemistry between them onscreen, but I don’t want to. HMH was 28 and Riley Wang was 29 at filming. Both are too old for a teenager.

I am on episode 18 and it is starting to head further along with the romance between them. She looks like a little kid next to a grown man. She also acts like a little kid. They could be siblings but not lovers. He seems like a protective brother. He knows how to act and I have seen him have chemistry with practically all the FL’s he has acted with. (and I have seen all of his shows but a few I can’t access in the US.) But I don’t see that here. Honestly I am glad atp because I think it’s better for him to not feel comfortable acting romantically with a teenager.

When I watch a show I judge their acting based on several things. But what really makes me think they are acting well is if I really think they are that person they are playing. Like they themselves look like they believe they are that person. some ppl do this so well. I believe Riley Wang does this really well in this show. along with his sister. But their plots are not believable.

For example(Spoilers by episode 18) The simple life goals guy, Prince Qi, who is madly in love with FL decides on a whim to not run away with his beloved that night? Nope. While also knowing he was trapping his sister there with him? He gains no real power and they are both beaten and tormented at times in the palace. Then Li Le Jun [Li Mao's younger sister] would not have had to switch the poisoned arrow they could have gotten someone to do that. Then Prince Qi is mad that Xiao Wu Yi is falling in love with her. Dude you abandoned her. Either leave the palace and run away with her or get over it. You made that decision now own it.

Then we are supposed to believe that we Le Jun who was taken in by Princess Mom who her nursed back to good health took care of her for many years needs to die at her hands to protect her brother from someone she does not know to be a real threat to Mao. Prince Wenji is not a threat to Mao for several reasons. Mao doesn’t even want to be in the castle so he could get to leave if Wenji did come back. She doesnt even know if he exists.

Then Mao not being mad at his sister for killing his beloveds mother!?! What was that? It makes him seem really stupid. That’s his Grand Tutors wife too. So I am not buying that she would do what she did. I also think they could have stopped the cart from going off the cliff or at least tried harder. Then the way it fell off the cliff Le Jun is not surving that fall.

I am not feeling Ai mi’s acting either. There is something missing for me. I liked her at first but then I started to change my mind as it went on. The character too young, impulsive and at times selfish. Like her lifelong maid died in front of her and the affect it had on her was not very long lasting. Your dad is a cold blooded killer. The maid did not have to die then either. How is that teaching your kid to grow up? Sicko.

I also didn’t find it easy to follow the problem with the past and the An story line. The show does some flashbacks to show us things but then some things are missing and feel skipped over that should have flashbacks.


Also compared to Love in the Clouds, for example, the lighting and cinematography are not as good. It is missing something. I think it often looks and feels rushed.



Hou Ming Hao if you happen to read this please so down. You are doing so much and it worries your fans. You don’t need to do so many shows back to back, constant ads, on top of your music and concerts. You are human and you should take it a bit easier. You deserve time to yourself. You deserve a life outside of your career. play basketball more wtih friends, deink well eat well and sleep well. You are so talented. But you can’t keep pushing yourself so hard or it will affect you badly in the long run. I will keep supporting you. I just hope you take better care of yourself.

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Completed
Lost to Light
6 people found this review helpful
17 days ago
5 of 5 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 1.0
Story 5.0
Acting/Cast 5.0
Music 4.0
Rewatch Value 1.0

Inappropriate Jokes

I had to drop it. It’s a cute BL but the need to make trans women jokes isn’t cute to me. Yes Alie Blackcobra and the other woman decided to take the role people have to eat and survive but the screenwriter should have done a better job with those women. I know too many Thai trans people who would not find the script funny and in 2026 there as no excuses when other BL and lakorn that have trans actresses aren’t going as far as this BL did in terms of making their script transphobic and trans women the comedic trope.
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Completed
Blossoms of Power
12 people found this review helpful
17 days ago
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Loving all of it

Meng Ziyi and He Yu’s acting is impeccable . Let’s start with Meng Ziyi , having 2 personalities in one body is hard to portray , for me she embodies both different personalities . He Yu has 2 personalities too being sickly yet one who saves the day and he did it too. Everything is perfect from costumes, cinematography, script etc . We’re still in the beginning but I can’t wait what else is in store. Bu shu Lin is awesome!!!
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Completed
Transform Project
0 people found this review helpful
17 days ago
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 5.0
Story 4.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
Since there aren't any other reviews so far and there's also not a lot of info on MDL, I'll start out with a quick summary of what this is:

Time Fengjun (aka TF, shi dai feng jun, sdfj, etc.) is a company that is primarily known for creating boy groups. Their first group was TF Boys, a group of 3 middle school aged kids at debut. This group was wildly successful, although maybe a little too successful as the three of them rarely do group activities anymore these days. After this, TF tried to replicate this success with additional generations of trainees, whose progress audiences can follow starting when the trainees are fairly young. The second generation ultimately debuted as a group of 7 older teens, becoming popular boy group TNT.

Transform Project is specifically about the debut period of the third generation of trainees at TF, as they approach the final selection of which of the trainees will become part of the third gen boy group, later T.O.P. The 13 trainees in the show started training together at a very young age (mostly, with a couple exceptions who joined later). Note that the final selection is not part of the show, and happened at a 2-day concert in Kuala Lumpur, which was livestreamed and can be found separately on Youtube under 登陆时刻.

--

For the actual review part:

So...I went into this as a fan of T.O.P. who was doing some fan archaeology to learn more about their past, for a couple of reasons. First, they make some vague mentions in their Call Me By Fire appearances to their debut being a painful experience. And second, fans sometimes make vague negative mentions about the debut. I also had a little experience with the majority of the other 3rd gen guys due to a concert earlier this year.

Watching the show, I felt like I got a much better idea of who the whole group was, and got to see how the T.O.P. five interacted with the rest of the group before debut. And all of the boys are largely really cute and dumb and lovable! Some of the best parts of the show are watching them hang out, especially outside of the competitive elements, like the dorm scenes. The group has an overall slightly rebellious vibe, and I loved that they start to just disregard the rooming arrangements because they like hanging with their bros.

Some other things I liked:
- I enjoyed most of the mentors, who are largely very helpful and make good points.
- The quality of performances is decent for where the trainees are (although they are not pros, so there are still some flaws)
- There are some fun random games the boys do with the mentors that are entertaining
- I learned about a lot of new songs from this, and most of them were pretty enjoyable

The biggest issue with this show is the same issue I have with most reality competition shows: it attempts to manufacture drama by purposely pitting the contestants against each other in ways that go beyond just competing on talent. My dislike is magnified because this is a bunch of 16-18 year old boys who are clearly codependent on each other and are visibly stressed about these competitive elements, and on top of that, the competitive elements feel clumsily implemented to me. There are several times where one of the boys has to choose between his friends, and the rule is sprung on them, but instead of drama, the person picking is just sad and stressed, the person who got picked feels bad for replacing their friend, and the person who didn't get picked tries to put on a brave face while feeling hurt.

I overall do not like how the company treated the third generation boys, and I especially do not like the shenanigans the company pulled in this show to try to generate drama. I get the sense the company really wanted to get the boys to be emotional and cry, but often the way they try to achieve this just feels mean. It's set up to regularly remind the boys that aren't as highly ranked that they're doing badly. Their method of splitting up the boys into groups almost always just groups the trainees who are not doing well in one group. At one point, they set up a rule that seems to just be there to knock down a successful contestant a peg, for no real reason that I could see. The show pushes trainees to prepare for performances with very short timelines which, while maybe realistic to their potential future career as a boy group member, also felt like it was purposely too challenging based on the level the trainees were actually at.

In summary, the show combined with how the concert and debut ultimately went (which I wont' spoil here) kind of felt emotionally abusive, in my opinion.

Some other things I didn't like:
- The episodes sometimes dragged a bit. I felt like there could have been stricter editing that would have resulted in tighter episodes
- The points didn't really feel like they mattered, as there was never really a rubric, and the final scores were almost always affected by voting from the audience. This also felt a bit staged, as sometimes one group would do really well but then get pushed down due to other groups getting a ton of points from the supposed voting
- Ultimately the show doesn't even actually directly affect the debut. This is not an elimination show, they just compete miserably for 9 episodes, then do a concert that ends with the final debut, which was aired separately. As far as I've been able to tell with the actual selection, it's not correlated with specific wins in the show, so I'm not 100% sure what the point of the show actually was

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So...should you watch this? I would say, only if you really love idol competition shows, or you really love T.O.P./another of the 3rd gen trainees and want to know more about their experiences. It's been very informative to me as a fan of a lot of these guys, but it was also imo a pretty miserable experience to watch them be so sad the whole time, and the show results don't even clearly correlate to the final debut selection.

The performances are fine, but having seen most of them perform this year (nearly 2 years later) and do much better, I don't think the stages are worth rewatching the whole show for, plus you can probably find the individual stage performances as their own videos.

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