Reviews

The actors are neither convinced nor convincing

Short BL series, but not very convincing.
The narration shuttles between a past relationship, full of misunderstandings, and the current relationship where the CL tries to untie the knots.

The OSTs are excellent.
The narration is dynamic.

The biggest flaw of this series is the lack of chemistry. The actors look uncomfortable together and I'm not talking about the 3 fake kisses (⩾﹏⩽).

=> Rather disappointing experience...
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Série BL courte, mais pas très convaincante.
La narration fait la navette entre une relation passée, bourrée de malentendus, et la relation actuelle où le CL tente de dénouer les nœuds.

Les OST sont excellentes.
La narration est dynamique.

Le plus gros défaut de cette série, c'est la manque d'alchimie. Les acteurs ont l'air mal à l'aise ensemble et je ne parle pas des 3 fake kisses (⩾﹏⩽).

=> Expérience plutôt décevante ...

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You don't know how happy I am when the three finally appeared in the screen together. The director really made us wait for that moment.
I actually like the idea on how they arranged this drama and gave the main characters the screentime they deserved. I was confused at the first episodes because I only saw one protagonist all the time, I later realized the intention and somehow enjoyed it and it actually made me understand each main character better.
I understand why they make the color grading this way, I didn't like it at first but my eyes have adapted
to it later on.
The acting are good especially when they act angry and have their veins showing, you can literally feel the tension (the crying scenes are a bit off but it's still fine).
That's all for the drama review but I have question (or concern). Why does the Wang Yu Yan character belong to Main Leads? I don't see this character fit as Main Lead if there's one character that should belong to Main Leads it should be Murong Fu.
That's all, enjoy watching.

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it’s so good

I literally watched this in a few days and like I couldn’t like stop watching it because it was so good and I like it just finished it today and like I wanna rewatch it already but I was just like I wanna watch something else but this is just so good and it’s like perfect. The character development is exquisite I really happy we got seen more of them because they are so cute and I love that we got to see teams background story. And I love wins brothers little love story I like how I was in there without taking over like how a lot of BL dramas are with more then one couple

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Film saved by Jang Hyuk's particular set of skills

The Killer tread a familiar action movie path. Did it matter? Not with Jang Hyuk showing off his particular set of skills as many times as the writers could work a fight scene in. His quiet confidence and proficient use of a body well honed by real life martial arts training kept me engaged from beginning to end.

Retired killer, Ui Gang, is maneuvered into babysitting the seventeen-year-old daughter of his wife’s friend when the two women embark on a three-week vacation. A reluctant sitter at best, Ui Gang finds himself dragged back into his profession when Yoon Ji is repeatedly kidnapped by human traffickers. The killer never breaks a sweat or even raises his voice as he works his way through the bad guy hierarchy. There’s never a moment when he doesn’t look completely in control, even when facing a gang of axe wielding thugs.

If I laid out the plot in detail, few people would find it surprising. If you’ve seen Nowhere Man, John Wick, or Taken or a jillion other movies with a similar story you’ll have the whole thing figured out in a matter of minutes. With this kind of genre, execution matters, and The Killer executed it well. As in there were executions aplenty. The action drove the story and rarely slowed down long enough for the viewer to start counting plot holes.

Jang Hyuk is an accomplished martial artist in real life and it showed in his agility and quick moves. The brutal and bloody fights were well choreographed and exciting to watch. Ui Gang dispatched the baddies with a number of different weapons or whatever sharp object happened to be nearby. Shadowy scenes were often Illuminated with neon lighting making the action seem otherworldly.

The Killer didn’t have the most inventive script. Luckily this genre doesn’t require uniqueness, only thrilling action. Would the film have worked without charismatic Jang Hyuk and his martial arts skills selling the action? Thankfully, we didn’t have to find out.

4 February 2024

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amazing until it wasn't

I started this knowing it was either a hit or miss but tbh it was both at the same time. I found myself screaming at the TV one minute and then clapping at how cute the two leads were.

the first EP was a bit confusing and the chemistry wasn't really there until ep2 or 3. I was really rooting for them and found the "villain" arch to be awful. I'd recommend skipping EP 8&9 and just watch then last ~30 minutes of EP 10 if you want to trash the villain stuff.

won't rewatch it again but it had it's moments so take a chance on it if you're looking for a cute jdrama.

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Whirlwind of love and revenge on a tourist island

He works for a dolphin and sea lion show at Fantastic Ocean. He works at a karaoke bar on a beach on the Chinese island of Hainan, where they both live. He is a talented trainer of aquatic mammals. He succeeds in his traveling business, in part because he bears a striking resemblance to the late Chinese actor and singer Leslie Cheung. He waits for him with dinner ready and both of their underwear clean. He is a daring and handsome boy who also has sexual relations with women and walks around the beach, the streets and the house half-naked. He, in silence, awaits your return. He, drunk, comes home late after playing with other men. Both help in an illicit business, while committing petty robberies and other mischief, such as recovering their assets seized by the police.
Li Qi (Shen Shiyu) and Ren Yu (Zhao Bingrui) are two young men who live a wonderfully simple life as a couple. Happy, between the two of them they have built their own earthly paradise.
However, things change when an attractive young woman, Bai Ling (Yue Yue), comes into their lives and drastically shakes their reality. When the daughter of the illegal beach food vendor joins the two men, a three-way relationship seems possible. Li Qi shines around him. She shines around Ren Yu ('Marriage Proposal Say Yes!', 2013 and 'Love in Late Autumn, 2016'). In this classic love triangle, does the girl know about Qi and Ren Yu? Does he know they are a couple? The truth is that the three of them intend to test the limitations of their own sexuality.
The lovers now face difficult decisions because they want to explore their sexuality further and include Bai Ling ('A Woman', 2022; 'Mother in the Mist', 2021), in their relationship. At times, the loving trio disappears to become a secret couple again, but now between Bai Ling and Ren Yu. But the latter will not accept his proposal to be her boyfriend and live in a distant city. Could love for Li Qi be the reason for his rejection? Don't you want to enter an uncertain, but promising future? Why then does he kiss her and while they are living their idyll, the tragedy occurs that will shake the three of them to the depths of their being?
The film, which begins at the end, initially tells us how one of the main characters commits a heinous crime motivated by revenge and then goes to the roots of the conflict to expose the reasons that motivated the revenge.
Also skillful is the location of the plot in one of the tropical and paradisiacal beach areas of Hainan (in Chinese, 海南; pinyin, Hǎinán; literally, 'South Sea'), the smallest and southern province of the People's Republic of China. The site surprises by becoming another protagonist, the fourth, of the film. Its streets and shops show the wounds of the passage of successive typhoons that hit what is now the largest Special Economic Zone of the Asian giant.
Like an island from which you can only leave by air or sea, our protagonists will also find themselves unable to escape their own destiny. This is marked from the very title of the film. The main reason to chew Asian betel nut or areca nut is for its stimulating and slightly euphoric effects. The person who consumes it obtains a greater feeling of alertness, a sensation of heat throughout the body.
Subtle and masterful use of metaphor to mark the destruction of the paradise in which Li Qi and Ren Yu have lived with the interweaving of the Chinese tradition of consuming betel nuts with the risks to human health associated with the prolonged use of these seeds. , since this practice has led thousands of people to an early death.
Released in April 2017, the film, by Chinese director and screenwriter Hu Jia, won the China Stard Best Film Award 2018. It was also presented at the Berlin International Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival and Hong Kong International Film Festival, in its 2017 editions.
The yaoi genre romantic drama 'The Taste of Betel Nut' (槟榔血) depicts a story of revenge and young love, a story about the growing desire for intimacy between two men and a woman.
Very cleverly, Hu Jia makes unique decisions in writing the script and developing the plot of the film. The choice to include few dialogues does not discourage the viewer. On the contrary, it awakens in us an interest in discovering where the film story will take us. This way, the audience will be able to appreciate the images and focus more on the characters' actions.
The writer and director creates a fractured storyboard that unfolds like a puzzle: fundamental pieces are missing to finish the work. Together, he and the viewer, we will have the task of, as the footage rolls, compare the fragments we have with those intentionally omitted, in order to advance through the incomplete scenes that have kept us in the dark until we reach the light. and with this the understanding of the narrated events.
The ending is open. The viewer, once again behind the cameras, has several pieces of the puzzle in their hands. According to his wishes, only one of them may be the right one to complete the puzzle: on the terrace of his house, between sheets swinging in the air, Ren Yu, with obvious scars on his shaved head and with a slow, hesitant step, has been able come out of the coma and now turns his face and smiles at someone who approaches. Is it Li Qi who has been able to escape the fury of the bullies? Has Ren Yu waited for him during his years in prison for the crime committed? Is it just Ren Yu's imagination? Like Ren Yu, Li Qi has also died at the hands of the gang and they both meet again in another paradise, but this time heavenly?

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Let's talk about Sex with a lot of Sex, Heart and Chemistry.

Subjective Enjoyment Rating: 8.5

This is one of the rare dramas that I think the English title better describes the drama than the original one, at least for the international audience. “Let’s Talk About Chu” focuses on the relationships and sexual experiences of each member of the Chu family. The Chinese title (愛愛內含光) is the name of the Vlog channel of Chu Ai, and focuses on sex education and her ideals on sexual relationships. The title originates from one of the verses of a poem 「曖曖內含光」meaning those with talents and positive traits shine from within (a very loose translation). How do we look past the appearance to find that special person who is right for us?

I had a very enjoyable time watching this short drama. A lot is being covered and was done at a very fast pace. I guess one of its shortcomings is the inability to really delve into the complicated relationships and spend time exploring the backstory of each character. This is also to be expected when we only have 8 short episodes.

At first, I thought this drama is similar to the K-drama “Hit The Spot” as it also has a podcast focused on sex. “Hit the Spot” actually focuses more on the podcast than this drama’s vlog. The vlog also comes at the end of the epilogue of each episode. I watched a few of them and got bored of it. The vlogs were not done in a humorous way and I found them dry and preachy.

Luckily, the actual drama is full of love, laughter and emotional moments. The acting is great and all the characters have excellent chemistry. Ok, maybe the actual acting of the sex act could be better, but that’s totally fine as they’re not porn stars. LOL. Yes, there are many sex scenes, though nothing with full-on nudity. These scenes help tell the story and I don’t find them arbitrary or unnecessary. I like that women in this show are not afraid to talk about what they want in their sex lives. They get frustrated and are not afraid to accept the fact that they’re not happy. The drama also touched on how a past trauma can affect your view of relationships and sex.

Though I am not fully invested in all the storylines, I like most of them.

* Chu Ai and Chou Ping Ke - I enjoyed their story in the beginning. I found Kai Ko (who played Ping Ke) super adorable and hot. How come I don’t remember him being so cute in “Till We Meet Again”? I must have got distracted by the pink hair. However, Chu Ai and Ping Ke’s romance lost steam towards the second half. I think Ping Ke is way too good for Chu Ai. He should have let her grovel a little more.
* Chu Yu Sen and Lee Yueh - They are my favorite! They are such an odd pair, yet they complement each other in a way. Their story is interesting and unexpected and also with a lot of heart. I love the last intimate scene. It’s making love instead of having sex.
* Chu Wei and Lin Shi Chieh - A very realistic story about married life when the initial sparks are gone. How do you keep the romance going and keep working at it?
* Mom and Dad - Not my favorite story not because they’re older, but because it’s boring.
I love that mom is watching BL on GagaooLala but Dad has no personality. I wasn't curious enough to find out if Dad has an affair or not.

Overall, this is a quick and easy watch. It doesn’t have too much time to tell a very deep story. But it touched on issues in various stages/types of relationships.


Completed: 2/4/2024 - Review #400

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Sisterhood and Brotherhood above all else

This show is very much a life drama about a family of young lords and the woman that go on to shape who they are as men. Every single female character is a whole human, with her own feelings, emotions, ambitions, thoughts, and plans. They aren't all the same nor do they want to be. They all help and uplift each other throughout the story. There are both male and female villains, some that get redemption and some that don't. There are gray characters that float between. Each personal feels like an actual person. The responses to conflict and misunderstandings feel real and earned. The love stories sprinkled in are strong and healthy depictions of what a balanced and mutually respectful relationship should look like. They also show you the bad side of toxic and one-sided relationships, and how just because you got yourself into a bad place doesn't mean you can't also get yourself out. Everyone deserves respect from their spouse.
Just the sisterhood alone with all of the young lords' wives and concubines is worth the watch. Very progressive in their storytelling in a fictionalized country. When 7th's wife feels nervous and unsure about herself because she is slower to do things, every single one of the women around her validates her and complements her on her care and attention. When the 2nd Crown Lord shows his true colors the women band together to help their friend Hao Jia. His wife even plays one of the largest roles in getting Hao Jia and herself out of a horrible situation. And with that storyline Yin Zheng(6th) gets closer to his own mother after realizing she was struggling with a similar situation as Hao Jia was.
But the best relationship is that of the 6th Lord's wife(Yuan Ying-Jin State's Princess) and side wife(Li Wei- FL). There are like true sisters. The Jin Princess immediately takes Li Wei under her wing and trains her to become the lady of a royal household and partner to Yin Zheng(6th lord). Yuan Ying becomes like a sister to both Yin Zheng and Li Wei, and they all share a bond that could never be broken. She becomes one of their fiercest allies.
The understanding and refusal of Yuan Ying to cause any misunderstandings between Li Wei and Yin Zheng is peak supporting female character energy.
We have a simple girl who has the protentional and drive to make great change.
A warrior princesses trying to find her happiness.
A woman who doesn't want to follow in her mother's footsteps. And though she miscalculates finds her feet again.
A princesses who is smarter than all the men and knows it.
A group of women who band together against their trying husband, and protect and care for each other as they fight for there individual wants and needs.
A kind and quiet girl, who just would rather be left alone, if that's okay, who finds her other half.

I could go on and on, because the characters are all great fully fleshed out. But just know that it's worth the watch. Even though it's 40episodes there are enough smaller story arcs that start and end every few episodes that keeps the momentum of the story going. You will laugh, cry. and kick your feet from this slow-burn romantic life drama.

PS: We don't see him much, but I have a soft spot for the 9th little lord as his is just like his sisters-in-law...and that punch in ep40....bravo.

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An unfulfilling short series

I was really excited to start The Bequeathed because it seemed like it had everything I liked wrapped up into a short 6-episode series. It wasn't until I started the final episode that I realized there was no way they could wrap everything up as cleanly as I would have liked. The twists in the story weren't all that surprising, and I felt that I wasn't too invested in ay of the characters.

Yoon Seoha finds out she has inherited a family burial ground from a recently deceased uncle whom she had never met. Meanwhile, she finds out her husband is cheating on her and she likely didn't get the job promotion she thought she would. When a man claiming to be her half-brother starts fighting her for this burial ground, it seems like Seoha's life is spiraling out of control. No matter which way she turns, it seems that only hardships follow, and though she's suspecting everyone around her, she can't help but feel like it may be her family's own bad karma.

When it comes to crime K-dramas, there's a high bar. I love a good mystery, a good investigation, and a good, well-thought out killer. Unfortunately, this one just didn't quite deliver. While it was a very enjoyable and quick watch, I felt that something was lacking the whole time. I found Seoha difficult to sympathize with, as she always threw the blame on the closest person and never seemed to think things through. If they wanted to focus on the police investigation, they could have done that too, but that also felt like it was only peripheral even though they attempted to flesh out the cops working the case as much as they could. I think this story would have been a lot more compelling if told from the perspective of the lead detective instead of Seoha, or if Seoha was a bit more likeable as a character. Still, it was a fun show and an easy watch because of its length.

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