Reviews

A bumpy first romance

Is this a fun series? Yes, it has all the cute scenes you expect from one of these rom coms, the guy trying to act cool but melting for his love interest. The main female lead is just adorable and she really embodies the "new to dating" awkwardness. You see Yuan Xian grow from a shy, unsure partner to being confident to tell Ling Wei, girl who likes Qin Shin, that they are dating even after the she used every opportunity to guilt Yuan from "gifting" her a job to using depression to keep them apart.

Now for the negative, I was a bit shaky on the romance between the main character since up until they started dating, I felt more chemistry in them tentatively showing their feelings. Then after they were openly dating there didn't seem to be any "chemistry" other than a very cute scene with him giving her a necklace and him barking >.< When you watch it, you will see what I mean.. just "ahh?"

Also I was a bit frustrated with how he seemed to punish her for quite some time, and it was seen as ok? I get him being upset for a bit but it seemed to be over a span of a long time.

All in all it was a cute series that took place over the span of freshman year for majority of the episodes and then a peak at them at graduation.

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It's a completely different Scud film than we're used to. The gay component is omitted and for the viewer's eye there is maximum gay interest and (not only) male nudity, which is sometimes too much. It is a puzzle of stories connected by memories of a psychiatrist and taking place in Mongolia, Malaysia, somewhere on a ship, Holland. One of them also stars Sebastian Castro, whom I also mention in the movie 4 Days. This young American, the son of Peruvian-Asian parents, was kicked out of their house on Long Island by his parents when he told them he was gay at the age of 17. The picture, even though I give it a decent rating, didn't impress me that much. When the Scud, in my opinion, makes things in the film more complicated than they really are, and in his work in general ...

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A very solid film by Philippine standards.
First of all, I was very interested in the story, a story based on the real events of Walter Dempter/Walterina Markova, and of course I watched from the perspective of an Asian viewer, because on other continents the story would probably be filmed differently.

Yes, the world of homosexuals for the entire timeline it depicts is portrayed in a feminine way, but it probably couldn't have been otherwise, a non-feminine gay would probably not have survived in those days of Japanese wartime rule. And it's shot less drastically than the reality probably was, probably with not only the Filipino viewer in mind.
The role of the "old" Walterina is played by Dolphy Quizon (unfortunately deceased today), and the interesting thing is that the roles of the younger and youthful Walterina are played by his sons Eric (we know him from the film Pusong Mamon mentioned here) and Jeffrey (he played the most and very well.. .). It is also interesting that the "old" Walterina enters some of the war scenes physically, as if in memories, as if she wanted to change the unfavorable fate.

Maybe someone will say, this type of nonsense, Asian bullshit, why is someone writing about it so long here, but the depth of the picture, at least for me and my interest in it, was satisfied today.

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Redflags, done well!

I wasn’t gonna write a review because i thought msnotes’ one was perfect already! And captured most of how i felt! But i wanted to rate it🫶

here is what i can add:

-you will find many reviews calling for toxic relationship, redflags etc… and first episodes the mess is quite crazy and a bit overdone , but along the episodes i came to realize it was well done!! How ? What i mean is doona’s character and actions slowly reveal her fears & vulnerability behind her mess.

-both ML & FL go through their weaknesses and both evolve. (FL maybe more?)

-the ML character us so genuine, he really made me reflect on how kindness can be perceived as flirting, lol

-i loved the dialogues, the said & unsaid , the questions that echo a lot of imagery and deep conclusions about fame, ambition, loneliness, abandonment and love


- i dunno if it was binging the episodes that made it look so overdramatic at times, but towards the end i got that feel.

- i wish it was a longer show! The pace was nice, i rooted for the characters and i think their evolution/story was not yet complete

-Doona’s character suited suzy soooo well! I think this kind of drama makes her shine so much!

-the secondary stories were really a bore ( i dont know why ! They felt so disconnected… ) but i looooved their evolution.

Its a show that reveals itself slowly and keeps getting better n better w each episode. A highlight of 2023 so far for me!

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I also looked for subtitles, but it is possible to watch without them. Rather than a drama, I took this picture as a partial documentary. Most of us probably know how the Philippines is today, how the lower classes of the population live and that there is a certain smaller percentage of young people who are allowed to do almost anything. And this movie is really not just glitter, but reality, I had to look for the beauty of the Filipinos this time, unfortunately, almost with a magnifying glass, and after being fed up with the American RuPaul's competition, those transvestite beings rather reminded me of masked monsters...

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This is not a love story

Rather, this dorama is about the changing societal expectations of relationship, the roles of gender, and their interplay. Questions like what does 'to protect the woman' in a relationship or the significance of a piece of paper to define your romantic connection is discussed in modern society where nuclear family is no longer the norm. So, this is not a love story. It's a story on navigating modern relationship, both platonic and romantic. It doesn't necessarily give you an answer but it treats the audience as intelligent and invites you to ask these questions yourself. This is probably one of the most thought-provoking dorama I've watched ever that questions self-love and the relationship without shoving an answer down my throat, which I so much appreciate and recommend this.

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Although it could happen that this movie is complete bullshit, stupid, "something" breathed on me, as if I swallowed the stone too, I rose above everything and enjoyed it too. Such a partial parody of American B and C films.

Simply put, Joel Lamangan is, in my opinion, one of the best Filipino directors of LGBT films, and it was confirmed here as well.

Of course not top notch from a European point of view, but it was goofy fun, with nice people, punctuated by songs.
Although it could happen that this movie is complete bullshit, stupid, "something" breathed on me, as if I swallowed the stone too, I rose above everything and enjoyed it too. Such a partial parody of American B and C films.

Simply put, Joel Lamangan is, in my opinion, one of the best Filipino directors of LGBT films, and it was confirmed here as well.

Of course not top notch from a European point of view, but it was goofy fun, with nice people, punctuated by songs.

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The Shades of Justice

In this gripping thriller, we delve into a world where the boundaries of justice are not clearly defined. The story revolves around a young servant who masterminds a heinous crime, leading to the murder of his master's entire family, heirs, and servants. With their wealth in his hands, he vanishes for years, only to be confronted by justice two decades later. This short drama, spanning just 12 episodes, is a rollercoaster of enigmas, mysteries, ironies, suspense, and dark humor.

Constable Qu Sangeng, portrayed by Bai Yu Fan, embarks on a harrowing journey to uncover the gruesome murder of his beloved superior, whom he regarded as a father figure. Soon, a string of similar murders emerges, all pointing to a common culprit. Qu Sangeng must untangle the web of connections between the victims and decipher the motive. The trail leads back to an incident that occurred two decades ago at the Lu mansion, which was razed to the ground, claiming the lives of most of its occupants. Only Lu Zhi, played by Yu Yao, and a handful of others managed to escape.

As the narrative unfolds, viewers will empathize with Lu Zhi, understanding the circumstances that drove him to commit these atrocities. As a clever adolescent, Lu Zhi believed he had executed the perfect crime, unaware that someone held knowledge of his dark secret. This mysterious individual resurfaces two decades later to exact vengeance on those responsible.

While Lu Zhi's story is the genesis of these events and the serial killer's vendetta sets Constable Qu Sangeng on his quest for justice, they are not the central characters. The focus of the story shifts to Qu Sangeng and his decision to prioritize justice over personal vengeance, as well as Song Chen's struggles, portrayed by Ning Li. Both the adult Lu Zhi and the serial killer make only hidden or fleeting appearances as the story progresses.

Every character seems to harbor a motive and arouse suspicion. As the present-day plot unfolds and investigators attempt to piece together a complex puzzle, flashbacks shed light on the events from two decades ago. While the drama hints at hidden and illicit affairs, there is no central romantic subplot, reflecting the societal norms of the era.

Without good translations, some viewers may find this drama hard to understand as it is laden with riddles from verses and poems by the ancient sages. Even those well-versed in Mandarin and written Chinese may find themselves struggling with certain scenes and story elements, as the narrative moves swiftly and some details remain unexplained, catering to a more discerning audience. Rewatching becomes essential not for cherishing particular moments or characters but to gain a deeper comprehension and capture the subtleties that might have been missed.

My Verdict

This thriller is an adrenaline-pumping ride, offering a captivating storytelling format, top-notch direction, and commendable performances, with Yu Yao's portrayal of the juvenile Lu Zhi and Ning Li's portrayal of Song Chen standing out the most.

What makes this drama truly striking is its realism, even in today's world, in depicting the complex backdrop of wealth and power. Characters like Lu Yuan Bao, portrayed by Zhang Xi Lin, who transformed from a bandit to a wealthy and influential figure, highlight the murky waters of power dynamics. The story also portrays corrupt government officials who can be easily swayed, and the wealthy who, despite their outward respectability, remain to be despicable and thuggish. The concept of justice is portrayed in shades of gray, demonstrating that what one person sees as justice may be viewed as injustice from another's perspective. This theme resonates with the contemporary geopolitical landscape. For Qu Sangeng, choosing justice over personal vengeance is a wise choice given his superior's role in his father's death which he remains unaware of.

Great watch!

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The love between a pair of brothers who are not related by blood is wrapped in a pretty good story

I think the story in this drama is not bad and I think it should get a rating of 8. I don't know why on this website, ordinary good dramas only get a rating of 7 while trash dramas get a high rating of 8-9. this drama doesn't have any clashes that make ml and fl break up, there are just a few skins that make me feel they should be more firm in taking action and not be too naive or kind because in the real world maybe they wouldn't do something like this which I mean is too good of a character against the enemy in this drama. I watched non-stop for 3 days and until episode 26, I skipped a lot to episode 30 because I felt the story was a bit boring because it tells a lot of characters, which doesn't mean the story is bad. Chinese drama always has a lot of episodes, so there are lots of scenes that just waste time. I watched this drama with enjoyment even though I skipped a lot of SML and SFL in the last episode. Overall I give a rating of 8.

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What?

I started this before and dropped it at three episodes but i thought maybe the was something wrong with me, my state of mind, or something. So i gave it some time and tried again. This time i got farther-- episode six-- but now I'm going to permanently give up.

I don't know how this could get such high ratings. The plot is absurd. Why would he fight so hard to keep this building? Just move the gold, which is what they end up doing anyway...

The acting was pretty bad. I love Song Joongki, but the character gave him nothing but deadpan looks and flat emotions to play with. Deadly and tough is great but it gets pretty dull after a few episodes. The actor that played the father of the FL was great and i liked the lead gang guy with the curly hair, but that was pretty much it for good acting. Everyone else was just so overplayed or dull.

It went out of its way to make SJK look cool but without the emotion to back it up, there's just no soul to it. With such flat characters, it really needed a great plot to keep you interested but it didn't have that either.

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Weird tone, poor storytelling, totally unrealistic behavior

It's trying to be a lot of things at once--comedy, romcom, gangster flick--and fails to be any of them.

I don't need everything I watch to be 100% authentic/realistic, but I need SOMETHING that feels genuine or is even remotely convincing and Kiseki just doesn't give me anything. On top of that, everything is extremely rushed to the point of absurdity. If a guy randomly blackmails you to take care of him otherwise he will *frame you for murder,* you're not breathless with attraction in two days. (The framing threat, btw, is unbelievably stupid. Fingerprints on a knife will not single-handedly convict someone with no record, motive, connection to the victim, or presence at the crime scene. Like, be serious.) I can turn my brain off and have fun, but only to a certain extent apparently.

No coherent plot, no chemistry, no clear identity, it's a mess. Ever seen a movie on the Hallmark channel? This is that bad. Though I guess if you think Hallmark is great then you'll love this.

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Toxic But Engaging As A Fantasy.

General spoilers only. Extreme obsession. In reality, hugely toxic relationship dynamics. As a fantasy, it was engaging and surprisingly emotional. This was very much a story of "the mind says no but the heart and body say yes". The fact that the obsession was kind of mutual, the character that I liked (Shao Yi Chen) got what he wanted, and the ending was sweet, helped mollify my unease with the way this fantasy was told.

This was superior in every aspect of production to the first two parts of History1. The screenwriter (and director) is different for this one and it shows.

The acting was great and tugged at my heartstrings a lot more than I expected. The story grabbed my attention and held it, and the acting of the lead quickly got me invested in him. The music fit perfectly and enhanced emotions and tension. I did not fast-forward through anything.

The two leads were very comfortable with each other and their physical and intimate interactions were very intense. If you like the fantasy of forced-seduction, their scenes deliver spectacularly!

I'll likely watch again at some point, but it will probably be a while.

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A few good men

This is a dark yet poignant tale of the frailty of human nature - the loss of innocence in the effort to survive in a world where justice is hard to come by.

The drama starts off seemingly like any straightforward murder-crime-mystery series. You are drawn into deciphering various clues and studying each character to determine who is the murderer. By the show's end, however, even though it pulls out a "surprise" reveal, the power in that moment is not so much the shock factor of who is who but more so the underlying sadness of seeing two friends end each other's lives. There is no mustache-twirling psychopath villain here. It's a hauntingly realistic tale of greed and deceit that explores the lengths to which someone will go to obtain what they want.

The entire ensemble cast give great performances - my favorites are Ning Li as Song Chen and Yu Yao as the young Lu Zhi. Great atmospheric music and realistic sets/props/costumes make the world of Du County come to life in all its dingy glory.

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