Completed
Influence
1 people found this review helpful
Nov 5, 2023
5 of 5 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

would you kill a person for someone's sake?

I watched this based on mydramalist recommendation from other similar dramas that I like. At first, I thought this was a common suspense drama like usual, but this drama turned out could make my emotions up and down because of the character's bond.

Three teenage girls were bound in a complex relationship. They didn't have a relationship like typical teenage girls at their age, but deeper, their bond was so strong that they even influenced each other in something darker, which is murder. I think that's why they titled this drama 'INFLUENCE'.

The tragic story that became the motives might be not so fresh, have seen such themes in another suspenses, but I love how they made me couldn't predict the story. This only has 5 episodes, so not many emotional roller coaster I felt but the revelation of the truth about how deep the characters cared about each other when I thought they despised each other made me cry.

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Completed
Only Friends
0 people found this review helpful
by JFD
Nov 5, 2023
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.5

Real Life Experience in a Show

Except for certain scenes and the ending: This was a series with the perfect depiction of real life and relationships. It showed raw emotion and how messy those early twenties can be. You think you are grown-up and know who you are. Its a show with no good-guy and no villain, just regular messy human-beings.

I was a little disappointed in how the series was tied up at the end, and it felt a little like a cop out. However, I understand why they chose to do as they did. We could have had the same ending, but written better.

I love the characters, the cinematography, the sets, the feelings and the plot. All in all this is one of the best BL shows I have ever watched. And I have already rewtched it in parts and will definitivly do a full rewatch later on.

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Completed
Unicorn ni Notte
1 people found this review helpful
Nov 5, 2023
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 2.0
Story 1.0
Acting/Cast 2.0
Music 1.0
Rewatch Value 1.0

The story writer had no experience of the business industry

The drama has no hooks for audience and as a part of the concerned industry of startups, it shows pretty wrong and lazy part on writing and execution. Just like fashion, show industry, IT industry is not so beautiful as it seems from outside. A person who can't even structure her thoughts can't lead anything, same problem with male lead if you call him that. Other office workers are typical toxic office colleagues who impose themselves on others.
This drama doesn't help anyone in n any constructive and actionable way.
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Completed
Hidden Agenda
0 people found this review helpful
by JFD
Nov 5, 2023
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.0

Coming of Age

This is a great series exploring coming of age. Who am I? And what is my goal in life? If you look at this as a stricktly romance series I can understand that you miss a lot of the interesting underlying plot lines. I personally love how strings and crumbs were given in episode 1 and with a red thread throughout the episodes became clear how each character had multiple hidden agendas with their actions and experiences.

The series explore self-awareness into adulthood, how ties to family changes from childhood into young adulthood and romantical connections. How past experiences are carried with us and impact our future decisions and reactions in various situations.

Personally I loved how Dunk’s acting showed parrallels in scenes from the beginning of the series to the same scenes happening at the end of the series and you can clearly see his character growth. (Zo is supposed to be an awkward character in the beginning before he grows into himself over the couse of the series. We see Joke grow and learn more about himself as a person and how to approach his friends, family and situations.

The side couple wasnt showed much, but Aou and Boom did amazing in the few scenes they were present. And gave the perfect counter-balance to Dunk and Joongs characters.

Also, we cannot deny that Joong and Dunks chemistry carried in the low plot parts of the series.

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Ongoing 8/36
Only for Love
26 people found this review helpful
Nov 5, 2023
8 of 36 episodes seen
Ongoing 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Why Dylan Wang's Acting is Actually Good in Only for Love?

Overall, Only for Love is a well-made and enjoyable C-drama. It is a romantic comedy with a lot of heart, and it is sure to leave you feeling happy and satisfied.

Here are some specific things that I liked about the drama:

The chemistry between Bai Lu and Dylan Wang is undeniable. They have great rapport together, and their scenes together are always electric.

The drama is well-paced and there are no unnecessary filler episodes.
The drama does a good job of balancing comedy and romance. There are plenty of funny moments, but the drama also has a lot of heart.

The drama explores some interesting themes, such as the importance of following your dreams and the challenges of balancing work and love.

The first 8 episodes got me kicking and giggling and gave me goosebumps, I don't why the hate on this series?

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Completed
Venus in the Sky
1 people found this review helpful
by JFD
Nov 5, 2023
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

Slow burn you need to watch

After episode 3 I was completly invested. It is a slow burn, but the chemistry is there in spades. If you appreciate a good romance story with undoubtly queer storytelling, this is a series for you. The side couples are also good and have engaging plot lines of their own, and not just as fillers.

The series is quite spicy, but it doesn’t feel added for shock value and misplaced. It feels as its there to drive the story further and as a tool to show the progression of the relationships between the couples. Also, they all have great chemistry in their pairings.

I just love the cuteness, affection, spicyness and clear love in this series. The actor who plays Sky is a standout to me, and I’m now a fan.

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Completed
Daily Dose of Sunshine
2 people found this review helpful
Nov 5, 2023
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 8.0

Recommend it for mental health insights!

I'm happy that they released a kdrama that focuses exclusively on mental health issues. I've always wanted to watch something like this and finally I got the chance to do so.
I definitely recommend "Daily Dose of Sunshine" to anyone seeking a comprehensive portrayal of mental health challenges. This kdrama felt real and was very informative for someone like me, who previously had limited knowledge in this area. Through its portrayal, it has provided me with a profound understanding of the experiences and emotions of those going through such issues.
Undoubtedly daily dose of sunshine is one of my favorite kdramas of 2023!

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Completed
Dangerous Romance
27 people found this review helpful
by JFD
Nov 5, 2023
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 4.5
Story 3.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 4.5
Rewatch Value 1.0

Wasted Potential

The trailer promised too much and the series didn’t deliver. I love Perth and I love Chimon, but them together was not it. We have seen both actors deliver amazing acting previously this year (Home School and Double Savage as examples) so the subpar delivery of the feelings the characters were supposed to feel is weird. The romance is not believable, however the enemies part of the show is really great. Wasted potential to drive up the tension and drama, but it never delivered. Also, the danger felt sprinkled in without direction.

The side characters are charicatures with no fleshed out story line or personality. Their actions confusing and strange at times because we do not get enough time to get to know them which made them boring. There were so much potential here to make great side stories but we never got it.

The plot was not plotting in my opinion and the chemistry couldn’t carry a series without drivers in the story. It started off strong, but then bellyflopped from the 4th episode and became meh. It wasn’t so bad that I dropped it, but it definitivly will never be rewatched.

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Completed
Only Friends
1 people found this review helpful
Nov 5, 2023
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 4.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 2.0
Rewatch Value 1.0

FirstKhao forever.

not bad, so many emotions in every episode
BUT I will give a 8.5 because of Sandray, they carried the show. FIRSTKHAO FIRSTKHAO FOREEEEEEEVEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRR 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕
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Completed
When I Fly Towards You
1 people found this review helpful
Nov 5, 2023
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 6.0
This review may contain spoilers

It is too sweet for me that it makes me cringe.

*** Spoiler Alert (PERSONAL FEEDBACK)
Title : When I Fly Towards You - 2023 (Complete 24 Episode)
Personal Rating : 7.5/10

It is too sweet for me that it makes me cringe but still it’s a good, youthful, and full of positivity drama with a happy ending. 😅

It’s a classic high school youth drama which begins in high school and continues into adulthood. Su Zai Zai is a cute, talkative, and straight forward girl who falls for the genius, aloof and introvert Zhang Lu Rang. They fall in love and get married.
Honestly, I watched this drama because they have the same writer of Hidden Love. Personally, I didn’t enjoy it that much because I have high expectations from it.

There are lot of scenes that are cute and sweet but sometimes it’s too much for me that it makes me cringe specially when I hear the word “Rang-Rang”.

I like their friendship though, the heartwarming relationship between the grandma and Guan Fang and the 2nd couple because they have a nice story line. The 2nd couple have love - hate relationship and one-sided love which is so natural. I feel that the 1st couple story is cute, sweet but flat. The only problem they have is the pressure of ML’s mother. No second lead or jealousy to make things spice up.

Overall, it is not my cup of tea. It is a good drama – classic, but maybe because my preference has changed a lot that this one doesn’t suit me. I watched A Love So Beautiful which almost has the same plot of running after their crushes or first love, but ALSB didn’t make me cringe. And I made a mistake of watching the intros that it almost spills the whole story of the drama.

GENRE – Comedy, Romance, Youth
CAST – Zhang Miao Yi , Zhou Yi Ran

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Completed
Romance on the Farm
0 people found this review helpful
Nov 5, 2023
26 of 26 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
This review may contain spoilers

At the end of the day family always matters.?❤️

*** Spoiler Alert (PERSONAL FEEDBACK)
Title : Romance On The Farm - 2023 (Complete 26 Episode)
Personal Rating : 8/10

At the end of the day family always matters.🤎❤️

“Maybe this is what home is. There’s sorrow, there’s happiness, there’s good and the bad. The meaning of family is for people not to be lonely in this world.” – Maner

Romance on the Farm" is a costume farming light-hearted drama in the gaming world.
Lian Maner (played by Tian Xiwei), a modern girl with a broken family, applied as the first beta tester for a new game because of her lack of funds. She needs to do the missions and collect 1000 taels for her to end the game and received an additional bonus.

After entering the game, she finds herself in an ancient rural village where she encounters the eccentric Lian family, who are her relatives which have farms. She also meets the enigmatic and "tsundere" male lead, Shen Nuo (played by Joseph Zeng). Shen Nuo is non-player character (NPC) with a hidden identity in the game.

Together, they confront troublesome relatives, engage in farming and business ventures. As they go through various hilarious and chaotic situations, their relationship deepens, and they promise to accompany each other through life.
ROTF focuses on family matters – the drama, chaos, favoritisms, and pressure of being renowned or making the family rich which most of the big-extended families have. You will hate the GRANDMOTHER on this drama. 😁😅
Joseph Zeng & Tian Xi Wei have good chemistry. They are so cute together. Maybe in another drama or scenario their chemistry/couple will be one of the best.

Honestly, I am confused if Shen Nuo is playing same time as Lian Maner.😅 There is a special preview (after she finish the game) where they showed the ML leads name & picture on the organizational chart of the company, he called her name MANER and give her an animal leaf which Shen Nuo gave her inside the game but didn't show his face.😑
Overall, it is okay for me, not great but okay. The lead couple’s romance is light, and they have few romantic scenes since the FL focuses on her family matter and the ML is focused on his mission too. Let me remind you, the story starts and ends inside the game only so after the game there is no other story.

GENRE – Costume, Comedy, Romance, Life, Family

CAST – Joseph Zeng , Tian Xi Wei

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Completed
Mysterious Lotus Casebook
1 people found this review helpful
Nov 5, 2023
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 7.5

Refreshing piece amongst the masses of low quality dramas out there

At first one might think this drama is all about solving mysteries which all unlock pieces to the final puzzle at the end and everyone goes home happy. This is not that drama. It's so much more than that. MLC is ultimately a heartfelt drama where the writers gently invite us to go on an emotional journey with the main character Li Lian Hua aka Li Xiang Yi where he ends up being confronted by his past, the reality of his past self, and his reconciliation with all that he was during the height of his renowned fame and reputation.

As many here have mentioned, it is a story that evokes a lot of emotion because it's centred around the themes of letting go, forgiveness, the chance to change, and that we are all but mere human beings, capable of mistakes, guilty of having a past that we might not be proud of, and appreciating the simplest things in life.

While the mysteries weren't executed in a way that allows the audience to delve into the stories and use our own deductions to solve the cases, the undeniable chemistry between the three leads, the brilliant and engimatic acting of Cheng Yi, the natural ease with which Joseph and Aero assumed their roles, and the concise and beautiful storytelling that is consistent with driving the plot forward all make MLC a profound viewing experience.

I think viewers would love to see more of this kind of theme-centred and mature narrative with strong character development in a sea of disappointing cdrama productions that has been saturated with use of vulgar clickbait videos or contrived romantic storylines with pretty faces as a means of garnering attention to an otherwise empty storyline.

MLC stands out amongst the rest because the writers and the production team seem to care about what they are doing and have put a lot of effort into delivering quality and consistency to its viewers, proving that China can produce noteworthy pieces that don't compromise on the authenticity of the narrative as a result of relying on cheap plot devices for the sake of guaranteed viewership ratings.

Watch MLC if you want something different to all that other stuff going on in subpar cdrama productions.

P.s. I absolutely loved the ending! (Unlike most!)

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Completed
Arthdal Chronicles: The Sword of Aramun
2 people found this review helpful
Nov 5, 2023
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

On my favourite female kdrama character

I want to celebrate the end of ARTHDAL CHRONICLES s2 with a little note on Taealha, my favourite female character in all of kdrama so far.

I don't usually love girlbosses, and I normally wouldn't cheer to see one of the main antagonists of a series escape most of the consequences of her actions. But I loved this for Taealha, and I've been thinking hard about why this is.

What I think it boils down to is this: Taealha is an antagonist. But she's not a villain. And this speaks to one of the main themes I'm seeing in Asian dramas.

While an antagonist is any character who opposes the protagonists of a story, a villain is a character who is outright evil. Unusually for a character who's pitted against very idealistic heroes, Taealha isn't a villain, even though she helps to rule and uphold a desperately evil society. The show's morality is more white-and-grey than black-and-grey, in the manner of most Western grimdark fantasy, and I think that Asian drama generally views systemic change through a different lens than Western drama. In Asian drama, it is the rare heroic characters - like Tanya and Eunseom - who have the courage and vision to imagine a world that is any better than the one they inhabit. While Western storytelling sees injustice often as the action of an individual villain, Eastern storytelling sees injustice as the grinding of an impersonal social machine in which those who prop up the status quo are often as helplessly imprisoned within the system as those they rule over. Their fault may not be active malice, so much as the lack of vision, courage, and selfless compassion to fight for a better world.

I think this also has something to do with why so many people in the West have trouble with the concept of systemic injustice - they think that evil in society must be the work of a few bad actors, a few individual villains, rather than of a whole social order. I also note that in Eastern drama, especially in the shows which are more conscious of social justice (like SCARLET HEART RYEO and ARTHDAL CHRONICLES), the "villain" - insofar as there is one to pit against the idealistic heroes - is society at large. In many western dramas, on the other hand, it's clear the writers desperately want to believe that society at large is good; that collective action is only ever a force for justice and never for evil.

Despite being an antagonist opposing idealistic heroes, Taealha is able to be sympathetically portrayed because she, like everyone else, is caught between the gears of a cruel society. She may be rich, beautiful, deadly, and the heiress to a great lord, but in all her privilege she, too, is subject to the machinations of her father, of the king, and of Tagon, the man she loves. She is also not the only source of evil in the show - which makes it very, very clear that the evil in Arthdal stems from every ordinary citizen who profits from slavery and engages in war crimes. Taealha opposes Eunseom and Tanya, but she does not do so out of a desire to cause or profit from suffering. Rather, Taealha is a pragmatist whose lack of faith in the gods leads her to seek survival by working with the system rather than destroying it according to the divine will. What makes her sympathetic is that her motivation is always to protect the people she loves: Tagon and, later, Arok. In protecting her loved ones, Taealha only wants the same thing as Tanya and Eunseom - but because she has no faith in something greater than either herself or society, she chooses not to try to change the system, but to beat the system at its own game.

Taealha is no worse than anyone else in the show. She simply fails to be better - and that's a big part of why we still love her and cheer her on, even though she's one of the main antagonists.

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Completed
When I Fly Towards You
3 people found this review helpful
Nov 5, 2023
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 10

Best adorable and lovable drama highly recommend

What a lovely drama I enjoyed a lot from first to last episode so cute so sweet so lovable so admirable woah I want to go back to my youth again anyway I loved this drama a lot hopefully I want to see such dramas where female lead actors are not dummy and cold hearted male leads and female leads follows male lead but this drama wasn’t like that both were strong and cute personalities and second couple also had a great love story and chemistry and they waited for each other for so many years and yet finally they ended up together it’s good to marry a person who is best friend and other guy a friend was also done his role awesome way this story had a great friendship , love story, comedy, cuteness overloaded, dreams, achievements, marriage, students life, college life, work life hope they make more such dramas ❤all the best to the team

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Completed
Dangerous Romance
1 people found this review helpful
Nov 5, 2023
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

it was good

I liked this drama, when i watched the first episode, i felt in love with the main couple. Some episodes were boring, nothing interesting happened, but this fact couldnt change my mind.
Sailom was so innocent, naive at some moments, good with everyone. He felt in love with Kang when he gave Sailom his umbrella and this was "love at first sight" Kang was evil, seek revenge, hate Sailom and his friends. He made a lot of mistakes and acted childlish from the beggining, but Sailom gave him a chance and forgave him. There wasnt a lot of drama, at the end Sailom`s brother went to jail, but it wasnt his fault and everything went well when he was realised from prison.
Nava and Gun are so cute together, but unfortunately they hated each other from the start and felt in love at the end of the series. At least we saw them kissing at the final episode.
I really like "from enemies to lovers" bl series, so i give "Dangerous romance" a total of 10 stars.

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