Reviews

Excellent acting but slightly weak plot

I'm on holiday in Bangkok when I decided to catch the movie since I'm not sure if it will be shown in Singapore.

First thing to note - It's not a BL movie but the chemistry between Mile and Apo is still there.

As someone who is not Thai, it feels weird realising that the dialogue was not in the Thai language that I'm used to with my Thai friends. I think it's in one of the many Thai dialects but got used to it within 15 mins of the movie.

The production is seriously gorgeous. The costumes, the make-up, the backdrop was all so beautiful. It is a visually appealing movie in every way.

Apo's acting improved a lot compared to back in KinnPorsche. Bas was a little bit underuse but the scene between Apo, Mile, Tong & him - Bas completely stole the scene from everyone. I hope people in the industry notice more of his skills. Personal opinion - I feel that Mile's acting was the weakest among the 4 of them. I felt that the other 3 step up their game while Mile's acting was still the same back in KinnPorsche but still love him.

The plot was okay. I felt that something is missing from the storyline but I'm not sure what it is.

Overall, totally worth it for me to catch it at the cinema while on holiday!

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Just what I needed

I was hesitant to start this because it appeared they hated each other and there would be a lot of conflict. But, although there was some friction in the beginning, it was all due to a misunderstanding and pain from his past. The story was beautiful. I loved all the actors, down to the grandma, lazy husband, and even the clueless ex-boyfriend. Someone said there was nothing to wait for. I disagree. The conniving step-sister’s change, the hilarious friend and lazy husband’s resolution, the flight attendant and her admirer, the unjust treatment of the employees, the mother that disappeared and what happened and why, and where the leads would take us.

This series was entertaining, heartwarming, emotional, funny, steamy, and, most importantly, made me happy. The leads had so much chemistry. I never felt they were acting. I really loved this series so much!

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just legendary

I don't even know where to start with this one. "Alchemy of Souls" totally blew my expectations out of the water and basically set a whole new standard for K-dramas. Honestly, I'm worried I won't be able to enjoy any other drama now without comparing it to this gem.

I stumbled upon Season 1 of "Alchemy of Souls" when it popped up on my Netflix recommended list, and let me tell you, Go Yoon Jung as "Naksu" had me hooked right away with her killer looks.

What really got me was how the creators of the show introduced this whole magical world in a made-up country called Daeho. Every episode left me hanging on the edge of my seat with those epic cliffhangers. I actually felt a bit bummed every time an episode ended. I mean, it was a blast watching Naksu (played by Jung So-Min) teach all those different magical skills in Season 1, from Jipsu to Ryusu, Chisu, and finally Hwansu.

Now, let's talk Season 2. I bumped up my rating for it because the chemistry between the main characters was off the charts. Idk... the chemistry between Jae Wook and Yoon Jung just seemed a lot closer to me than Jae Wook with So Min. I get it, Naksu's character evolved a lot and leaned more towards Bu Yeon's style, but I was all for this new, assertive version of her. It was such a breath of fresh air seeing a character who wasn't afraid to speak up and go after what she wanted. Something a lot of K-dramas are missing these days – good ol' communication!

I'm not kidding when I say this is the only drama that's left me in withdrawal mode for weeks on end. Solid 10/10 in my book.

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Mindless Fluff, Weakly Written

You might enjoy this if you like cute, mindless fluff and don't mind newbie acting. The main couple's "love language" seems to be bickering but their more intimate romantic moments are very sweet.

The chemistry between the leads is undeniable and they are most natural when interacting with each other. However, they are still newer actors and their inexperience shows (in line delivery and reactions). Joong's acting is a 5 and Dunk's is a 3 (out of 10).

The actors aren't helped by a weak script with stiff, contrived dialogue and a boring, poorly executed plot. I'm glad for JoongDunk that they are getting some experience (it's a great way to continue improving their acting skills), but I just got too bored by the end of episode 8. After pausing for a couple of weeks I decided not to continue at all.

Both the actors AND the writers could benefit from more workshops to work on their craft before doing another project. At this point, I won't be looking forward to whatever they produce next.

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Heartfelt Reflections

My Liberation Notes" is like having a heart-to-heart conversation with a close friend, delving deep into the intricacies of life and your own existence. It leaves you with a comforting warmth, yet beneath the surface, it stirs something within you – an invitation to reflect on the profound themes it explores. I've absolutely fallen in love with this story, its characters, and its unapologetic portrayal of life's imperfections. It doesn't shy away from the difficult moments that make you feel isolated and lost, but it gently reminds you that you're human, still on the journey of self-discovery.
The script is brilliantly crafted, the cast delivers outstanding performances, and the music enhances the entire experience. "My Liberation Notes" is a captivating blend of elements that come together to create something truly amazing.

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second time's is the charm here

this is my second viewing, and I found new layers of teenage angst that I missed on the first viewing. Overall, we have a story that is based on a book and badly directed and horrible cinematography...and YET...

there's an urgency to the actions of the main couple, that hits for anyone that experienced that first teenage love. Where every moment together is super important. The two mains Tee and Mork are not winning awards for acting but there is a genuine chemistry that will have you pulling for them seemingly against all odds. Two people who should never work finding a way to do it anyway.

A lot of the scenes feel out of date and stray and seem all over the place. The story drags at times but at its best, it shows two people learning how to care for each other. And we can all use a little romantic optimism nowadays.

That's why I gave it a nine out of ten.

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It Was Nifty

Really had no idea what I was getting myself into because other than BWJ, I've never seen any of the other actors. Plus I've never seen nor heard of the comics or donghua this was based on. So was completely flying blind going into it. Another thing that was keeping me from starting it, was that zombies were mentioned and that's a genre I take a hard pass on. Thankfully the zombies--if you can call them that--were far from The Walking Dead or Resident Evil. They were there for maybe 2 to 3 episodes and looked more like something out of MJ's Thriller with too much makeup. They were comedic and not too bright.

Pros: What I really liked was the unraveling of the mysteries, the growth of friendships, having each others backs, the fight scenes, and the really awesome CGI; had to be my favorite part. It was nifty. The ending fight scene was probably the best because everyone that mattered even those that turned over a new leaf were part of it. Chief Taoist was like the granddaddy of awesomeness when he added icing on the cake. Over all, I hope season 2 explains more and has characters not just disappear and reappear randomly, but are given justifiable entrances and exits. FBB is my new favorite robot girl. From the protagonists, I think everyone was pretty great.

Cons: The ML annoyed me a lot; I won't lie. His goofiness was too much at times while other times he'd just walk around pouting like a 5 year old kid who didn't get any candy. I did ffw a lot because much of that comedy wasn't for me. I preferred when he acted and spoke intelligently. I feel the writing was stilted at times. Plus, each time character was charged with something, the mandarin writing on the screen and subbing overlapped and you couldn't understand what was written.

Would I recommend it? Sure, why not? Especially if you know the donghua it's based on and really like awesome looking CGI and unraveling fantastical mysteries plus group dynamics.

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This show deserves a better rating

It's actually 43 episodes.

I give this show a 10 to contribute to raising its rating, it certainly deserves more than a 7.9. At least 8.2 at a minimum. I've watched an 8.7 (One and Only) & an 8.9 (Love Like The Galaxy) that were down-right boring compared to this.

I read in another review it's a "refreshing take on xianxia" and I agree. The two leading characters are mortal, which makes a change for a xianxia, and makes their time all the more precious (as well as their sacrifices). The story, too, is refreshing in it's way and full of suspense. The disciple-master relationship developing into something romantic is nothing new but this one seems different.

Zhu Yan has some very satisfying character development from her childish younger self and a good deal of independence. Shi Ying is the seemingly aloof master while still being very in-touch with his emotional side. And Zhi Yuan is the selfless, gentle but powerful third lead who carried half the show. His character is so endearing you never tire of seeing him, with a sprinkle of Chong Ming to keep things lively.

The story starts a little cliche but gets a lot better later on and becomes something to be truly invested in and enchanted by. The ending was a little rushed and some explanation was lacking, but the final fight was a pleasant suprise as the show goes into full xianxia mode.

My only qualm is that Ren Min and Xiao Zhan sometimes failed to convey strong-enough emotion in their expressions for the circumstances they were in. But I love the whole cast, Alen Feng was a favourite in this one and it's great to see Xiao Zhan in a fantasy show again. I only give the rewatch value a 6.5 because a lot of what holds you in on this show is the suspense which is gone on a rewatch.

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Successfully satiated my craving for a calm domestic romance!

A woman who loves to cook and a woman who loves to eat find the perfect arrangement with each other, and their relationship starts to blossom just like that.
I believe that the best point of this drama is its simplicity. The plot is very simple and even the events in each episode aren't anything too elaborate, which allowed the feelings of the characters to truly shine on the screen, and it also let the most important moments have a much bigger impact on me. I've seen other shows that revolve around food and show the most delicious, mouth-watering dishes, but I had never watched one where the food made me feel as touched and moved as this one.
The two main characters have good chemistry with each other, and I loved to see how they always reached to each other through their meals. The episodes were short and not so many, yet their personalities were well detailed and I was amazed by how well they fit together despite being so different.
The series is mostly free from angst, but this didn't stop it from including multiple important themes, such as heteronormativity, harmful traditional values, discovery (and acceptance!) of self, and more. This drama also isn't afraid of being openly about the LGBTQIA+ community, rather than staying away from the theme and leaving everything in the subtext.

It was a cute watch that surprised me in the best way. I've heard that the season two is coming and I'll make sure to watch it. I recommend this drama to whoever enjoys slice-of-life stories and meet-cute romances!

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Lacks Focus & Skill

Tries to be too many things and fails at pretty much everything. This movie came off as a juvenile attempt at "indie art". It is INCREDIBLY BORING. I read that the director was inspired by Japanese pink films, as well as a few other things. This does seem like it fits that genre, it's just poorly done.

The only thing that kept me curious and watching was the character Playboy, acted by Steven Isarapong Furher (who is actually pretty good despite the crappy script). It's the first time I've seen a very masochistic character ALSO be such a dominant personality. I find that duality fascinating and wish that had been the focus of this film and explored further.

The directing, pacing, plot, script, cinematography, and music are all terrible. But I was able to finish it with some fast-forwarding and without feeling totally scarred by it so I'll rate it a 1.5.

When a character replies to another there is a pause the average of 3-5 seconds (sometimes longer!). It's ridiculously slow. Maybe the director really wanted the actors to fully feel the lines before speaking them but it completely dissipates any tension the incredibly vague and stupid plot tries to build up.

There's not a lot of background music/noise. When there is, it starts and stops abruptly and feels out of place. It always detracts instead of inhances. The simplistic drum beat during sex is awkward and distracting. The rap about rape is completely out of left field, bizarre, and disturbing. There's no cohesion.

If you want something extreme with a hopeful ending watch Dangerous Drugs of Sex instead (a 2020 Japanese film). That is very well done.

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Season 2/5: On with the fun!

I don't know by what miracle, but they managed to continue with the same quality drama.
The story is fast moving, there is no time to rest and still it does not seem rushed. The writing is solid, very funny, the acting is perfect, actors have great chemistry and the music is beautiful.

Our novelist is finally in the Cold Palace with Emperor pining for her outside and trying to figure out a way to bring her out without breaking his promise. She is getting bored doing nothing so she dresses up as an eunuch and goes out to the market. Unwittingly she messes up Queen Dowager's conspiracy plans provoking her wrath. There are more subplots there as well: fake poets and poetry competitions, imperial exam candidate who lost the will to fight (so funny!), the doctor she tries to set the Emperor up with only to realize she has feelings for him too, her bickering but adoring parents, her caveman of a brother I want to see more of!

What is surprising is that there is not one single annoying character. The FL is a strong and smart woman with a fast thinking head on her shoulders and who does not let anyone think otherwise. The ML has become a smitten emperor but still keeping his cool when faced with problems.

I am loving this. It has been so long since I laughed so much. It is worth every second spent.

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Not my typa show

Please refrain from reading this comment if you have not completed the series, as it contains major spoilers.

I typically do not find myself compelled to write reviews for dramas; however, the portrayal of the main characters in "Hidden Love" has prompted me to provide a less favourable assessment. My critique pertains solely to the character of "Sang Zhi" and not to the actress "Zhao Lusi", who has exhibited exceptional talent in her other drama works. I just couldn't stand to like how Sang Zhi presented herself in Hidden Love.

Pros
Although I've given such a modest rating, I would like to acknowledge several positive aspects of the series:
1. "Hidden Love" effectively explores and promotes healthy family relationships, particularly in the depiction of Sang Zhi's close bond with her brother. His unwavering support showcases a protective and caring older sibling. For example, he backs up Sang Zhi when she is getting bullied at school, ensures she is well at university, etc.
2. The series handles the age gap between Jiaxu and Sang Zhi with sensitivity and respect, emphasizing that their romantic relationship develops only when Sang Zhi reaches adulthood. There was also a lot of disclaimer throughout the show to emphasize that they are 5 years apart and establish their relationship on a legal and ethical foundation.
3. Sang Zhi's willingness to stand up for Jiaxu - for example, when the antagonist poured water on Jiaxu, she demonstrated her commitment to protecting her man by pouring water back.
4. Sang Zhi handled herself really professionally during her internship, even though her supervisor gave her a hard time.

Cons
1. The primary concern I have with the series centres around Zhao Lusi's portrayal of Sang Zhi as a 17-year-old, which often felt incongruous with the character's age. It almost felt like she was stuck in a 10-year-old's body. For example, there was a scene where she wanted to eat a lollipop and asked her brother's friend to open the wrapper for her - this is what ticked me off. A 17-year-old should reasonably possess the skills to open a lollipop wrapper independently. How are you 17 years old but still need someone to open a lollipop wrapper for you? This inconsistency was particularly vexing, given the more mature portrayal of Sang Zhi at 14 by the younger actress. It raises questions about whether Sang Zhi's affluent upbringing resulted in excessive pampering. Perhaps she came from a rich family so she was babied throughout her life but this still makes absolutely no sense to me. At age 17, she possibly never washed the dishes or her clothes and that's ok but the inability to open a lollipop wrapper appears far-fetched. Another example is the scene where Sang Zhi's brother takes her out to hotpot while her parents are away for a wedding and she is caught playing "fort" at home...

Given that this drama had such high ratings, I really wanted to give this drama a second chance to see what the hype is about. The initial 7 episodes wherein Zhao Lusi portrays Sang Zhi as a 17-year-old were cringe-inducing and prompted me to skip ahead to episode 8, where a 2-year time skip makes her transition to adulthood.

2. Shan Zhi's character demonstrates growth in maturity by the age of 19, making her interactions with the main lead during their early stages of romantic development more enjoyable. However, the relationship takes a downturn once they officially start dating (in ep 17/18). There were several cringeworthy moments I just couldn't stand, such as the moment at the roller skating rink when Sang Zhi felt compelled to notify Jiaxu of her intention to kiss him, which disrupted the flow of the scene. This action appears overly contrived and unrealistic, as spontaneous gestures of affection are typically more natural in romantic relationships. It's also a little bizarre for someone to say "I'm going to kiss you today" - it should usually happen naturally, at the right moment, right? I get that she wanted to respect Jiaxu by giving him a heads up but he already showed affection in the previous episodes that it is safe to assume Shan Zhi can do the same without asking Jiaxu for consent. There were also a lot of weird moments where she was getting flustered for no apparent reason. I mean, c'mon, your mans chilling in full long-sleeve pyjamas at home (and also considering y'all been dating for at least 3 months now)? It's not like he's lounging around shirtless in his boxers on the couch. It just doesn't add up to me.

3. The whole lack of communication in this show is really something else. I mean, in any decent relationship or interaction, good communication is the key to building those deep, meaningful connections, right? But seriously, there were so many times in the series where it felt like Shan Zhi couldn't get her thoughts across to Jiaxu. Let's talk about that KTV scene, for instance, when they randomly bump into each other after two years. There's this whole mix-up with her friend's sweater and some cigarettes falling out, and she tries to explain it to Jiaxu, but he's just not buying it. I mean, come on, at that moment, it felt like she could've laid it out better, like, "Hey, I accidentally grabbed my friend's sweater, and it's an exact copy of the one from KTV, so that's why this whole thing went down." You know, just to clear the air and avoid any misunderstandings. Another example is when they are in Jiaxu's car and Jiaxu asks Shan Zhi if she has any feelings for him and she literally did since the beginning of her childhood, but she replies with "no" because she was shy. I mean, she could've said something flirty like "don't worry about it" with a smirk (?) again, just my opinion. And then, when they were dating, it felt like they never had any real, deep conversations.

While Hidden Love strives to depict an innocent love story, it ultimately falls short due to numerous unrealistic and cringe-inducing moments found during the start of their relationship. As they progress further in their relationship (a year in), that's when I start seeing more improvements and fewer cringe-inducing moments - which is why I think the drama deserves +1 point higher than mid @ 5/10.

I know a lot of ppl gave a much higher rating for this drama so please don't be offended. This is just my opinion.

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