Completed
Scent of Time
0 people found this review helpful
by Tee
7 hours ago
30 of 30 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 5.0
This review may contain spoilers
I picked this up since I like Zhou Ye and Wang Xingyue but I think this drama just made me want them to collab again because it didn't really fill my expectations on the romantic side of the story. I really wish we could have explored the main lead's relationship more thoroughly because the tension between them was palpable.

The characters are great at making me interested in their goals and struggles but I found the pacing to be a bit slow. The political and court drama aspects of the plot were pretty bland and it was sort of a pain to follow.

I understand that they had to conform to censorship rules but I think that they could have still made the plot better. The idea of Hua Qian dreaming, waking up and not having fixed anything is an intriguing concept, but it felt very frustrating and unsatisfying since the viewers have seen her change throughout the whole story. A better plot would have been to have her wake sooner and then start to change things in the real world.

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Completed
Teach You a Lesson
2 people found this review helpful
7 hours ago
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 5.0
Story 4.5
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 1.0

A unique, if unrealistic, take on school bullying

On the one hand, this show is deeply satisfying if you enjoy watching bullies get a taste of their own medicine, especially when those bullies are snot-nosed kids who think they're above the law. It also addresses a wide range of issues that affect students, teachers, and parents alike, including students bullying fellow students, students not respecting their teachers, teachers favoring students with connections and rich parents over students from poor backgrounds, parents bullying teachers, and the enormous pressure students face from their parents to perform well academically.

On the other hand, this show is also ridiculously over the top and not at all realistic. The ERPB itself is government overreach to an absurd degree, and I found it really hard to believe that, in South Korea of all places, where public scrutiny of celebrities and elected officials is almost suffocating, there was not an immediate outcry over adults physically assaulting literal children, no matter how much the children deserved it. Not to mention the invasion of privacy and constant surveillance by the ERPB. Honestly, as much as I liked the main characters individually, I was actually rooting for the opposition party to disband the ERPB entirely. There's also the fact that the Bureau was founded after the murder of a teacher at the hands of her student, yet somehow no one knew that Ga-Yun, the murdered teacher, was actually the daughter of the Minister of Education who founded the Bureau and the fiancee of the Bureau's lead investigator until well after the ERPB was established. Han-Rim and Geun-Dae both routinely going undercover as students makes for some funny scenes and I get that they both look young but COME ON, you're telling me none of the students ever suspected them of being narcs?? Do not even get me started on their "romance," the negative amount of romantic chemistry they had should be studied. Also, what the actual HELL did they do to my girl Jin Ki Joo with that haircut?? South Korea's obsession with bangs should also be studied, my god, they treat foreheads like the Victorians treated ankles.

The last two episodes center around the student who murdered Ga-Yun as the big bad who has set up an extensive drug ring that spans multiple schools and goes so far as to commit multiple murders to maintain said drug ring. And yes, murder is bad, and yes, kids are capable of committing horrific crimes, but like, he's literally in high school. His brain's not even fully developed. I'm not downplaying his actions but there's a reason juvenile offenders often get lighter sentences and that is because their brains are literally not fully developed yet and as a result, they don't always know the consequences of their actions. Again, I'm not downplaying the actions of the bullies in this show, but it does make it hard to really root for the good guys when you remember it's literally a group of grown ass adults beefing with a bunch of teenagers. There's another episode earlier in the show where a group of kids who are also dealing drugs get thrown in a juvenile detention facility and basically get the shit scared out of them by the other prisoners who are legit murderers, and frankly, it's hard to really view this as justice when you consider that there's a very real chance they will get murdered before they get released. Maybe this is just my American worldview showing, but juvenile detention is not really considered a rehabilitative success here when most juvenile delinquents just end up becoming adult delinquents and commit further crimes.

As someone who doesn't particularly enjoy school bullying dramas primarily because it's so frustrating to watch the adults sit by and do nothing, I initially felt like this show was a breath of fresh air. The first episode in particular is fast and fun and I loved seeing an adult actually stand up to the school bullies and bully them back. But as the show progresses, it becomes harder and harder to stomach some of the extreme lengths the ERPB goes to to deliver justice. I've seen a lot of people compare this show to Taxi Driver because they're similar stories about people using violence for a good cause. Unfortunately, vigilante justice can only actually be delivered by vigilantes, and the ERPB is not that, they're literally a government agency. And when the government does it, it feels less like vigilante justice and more like the beginnings of fascism. I'm sure this show has more appeal to its native audience, but as an American, it hit a little too close to home for me, and not in a good way. If this show came out in 2024, I might've been able to just enjoy it for what it is and not think too much about it. But in 2026, when the U.S. government is figuratively and literally waging war on its own citizens and weaponizing different government agencies to do so, it's a lot harder to watch this and feel like it's anything other than a particularly insidious form of propaganda.

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Completed
Unintentional Love Story
0 people found this review helpful
7 hours ago
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Fantastic drama

Oh how much i enjoyed this drama, it had everything i could ask for. The story was great, the visuals stunning and beautiful music. The production did an amazing job.

The actors all did a great job!
The main couple had amazing chemistry, i was a bit sad that it were dead kisses, but they were filmed in a way that i wasn't mad at it.
I also loved the second couple, they had great dynamics. I saw they have their own spinn-off, so i am watching that one next! I am really looking foreward to it.

This is a real must watch, it's one of the best Korean BL's i have seen.

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Completed
Unexpectedly Naughty Fukami
0 people found this review helpful
7 hours ago
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 5.5
Rewatch Value 5.0
This review may contain spoilers

Guilty pleasure, but it’s alright

I hate hate the protagonist and how little happens every episode. Every episode is just another misunderstanding and they fight the end. Its super short and having sex scenes take up most of the episodes means there’s little room for plot or growth. I hate Kaji but you can see he gets growth well atleast they try to make him have growth. I was still addicted to it and idk why! This needed to be a decent movie instead of an alright show.
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Completed
Dual Stars
0 people found this review helpful
7 hours ago
6 of 6 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.5
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 6.5
Rewatch Value 5.0

Watered down remake of 'Sparkle in your eyes'

First I would just like to say that I am in no way saying this is a terrible drama, infact I think it was pretty decent for a short low budget bl.
What I wanted to say is that in my opinion this show is basically a watered down version of the bl Sparkle in your eyes', which is also a Chinese collaboration bl to get around the censorship, but with some obvious differences (I don't want to mention here for those that haven't seen sparkle in you eyes).
For those of you that have seen it, I'm sure you will agree this had way to many striking similarities and I'm partly convinced that the script writers used the same source material.

In my opinion, if you liked this then you should definitely watch Sparkle in your eyes. Its slightly darker in a way but the romance and passion is also way better.
This is just my own opinion and i still think this was a good show in its own right.

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Completed
Unexpectedly Naughty Fukami
1 people found this review helpful
7 hours ago
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 2.0

Surprised

I didn't like it much until ep 6 or 7, after that this series became better. You gradually saw Akihiro change from a shallow a**hole in a thoughfull person with feelings.
Before that, the series was about sex and while it was about sex, it's not sexy at all.... When they are doing it, it didn't look like they are actually doing it in the first few episodes. Most of the time they are too far apart from each other. And the emotions are way to shallow to make it sexy... When they kiss, it's not a real kiss, but just lips touching "dead kiss". I don't understand the actors, they want to play in a BL, a BL mainly about sex, but they refuse to do decent kissing scenes... And i didn't see much chemistry between the leads.
The visuals and music were good.

I wasn't fond of Kashio Atsuki, there is something in his acting i don't like. Nanox did a very good job.

It's not a bad watch, but don't expect a very sexy drama..

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Completed
The Gaze
0 people found this review helpful
7 hours ago
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.5
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 6.5
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 2.0
This review may contain spoilers

An Easy Watch, but Not a Standout

My feelings about this series were a bit of a roller coaster. For most of the show, I actually preferred the second couple. In my opinion, they had better chemistry and some of the most memorable scenes, like the pottery scene, even though their storyline wasn’t particularly deep. By the end, they weren’t very important to the plot anymore, but since they weren’t the main couple, that’s understandable.

The finale, however, didn’t feel completely satisfying to me. It felt rather abrupt and left enough room for a special episode with some cozy moments for both couples, free from additional drama or plot complications. That said, I did enjoy the redemption arc.

Overall, the series was enjoyable, but compared to the other BLs airing on Fridays, it was never a priority watch for me. I also would have liked to see more of Li You En in his role as a team doctor, especially in the earlier episodes, since that aspect seemed interesting but wasn’t explored much.

Another point is Li You En’s brother. For most of the series, I found him more frustrating than likable, although ep 10 finally made me warm up to him a bit.

In the end, I wouldn’t discourage anyone from watching it. However, if you’re not very familiar with Chinese BLs, I don’t think this is the best introduction to the genre, because it doesn’t really showcase the full potential of the industry. For me, it was the kind of series that was pleasant enough to watch and easy to relax with, but I never became deeply emotionally invested in it. In fact, I was more attached to it in the first half than in the second. Still, it remained an enjoyable watch that never made me feel too frustrated.

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Dropped 12/16
Beyond Evil
1 people found this review helpful
8 hours ago
12 of 16 episodes seen
Dropped 0
Overall 5.5
Story 6.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers
After reading so many rave reviews, I was convinced that I would love this drama, unfortunately that wasn't the case!
It started off really well, with a rural setting that I liked, and I followed it with interest until episode 8 (I was surprised by the revelation so early on), but after that it was so irritating and downhill.

The cast was excellent, I don't doubt that, but I found the actors really too "relegated" to their roles:
Lee Dong Shik has all these ambiguous expressions to make us believe something we ultimately know he didn't do, I found his sinister laugh and grins, repeated to the point of exasperation, forced and theatrical;
Han Joo Won is also a character who is very difficult to empathize with, he comes across as so unlikeable! I read that there was a bromance between the ML and I wonder if I saw the same thing as the others...I found their relationship, with its repetitive hostility and distrust, unnatural and tiring. Obviously I blame the direction and the script, not the actors.

As I said, after episode 8 there was almost a change in style that confused and bored me. The long scenes of the table conversations between the congresswoman and the slimy CEO were soporific for me, who detests these political and bureaucratic power games.

Some scenes seem cut off halfway, I imagine intentionally to create suspense and show them "complete" later, to surprise the audience, but I simply found them poorly edited.
After giving up at 12, I read the ending and am glad I didn't waste any more time.
Not even a particularly brilliant story; it was deliberately convoluted and difficult to follow (due to the flawed script), soporific, and failed to intrigue me or connect with the characters. In the end, I didn't care what happened next, and that's the worst thing for a thriller.

I don't even remember the music, so nothing memorable in my opinion.

I apologize for any grammatical errors, english is not my native language.

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Completed
Kill My Sins
0 people found this review helpful
8 hours ago
30 of 30 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

Underrated gem - had potential to be a 10/10 if for some adjustments

Beautiful revenge story, good acting, decent cinematography for its budget, nice soundtrack. The luck or romantic subplot does not truly diminish its quality, but it does leave with a taste of wanting more. Enjoyable sismance that could have been more expanded, very good sociopolitical commentary! The makeup team did a great job of ditching the overly pale foundation (minus Ni Chang, but understandable).

Ye Pingan and Yuan Saocheng are an excellent duo* and very enjoyable to watch as they work alongside each other. Although verbally stated otherwise, there are heavy implications (including remarks by the supporting characters) of the romantic nature of their relationship, evident by the obvious (well, to my eyes, at least) tension between them, especially during the early episodes. I won't pretend that I wasn't disappointed we never got to see an actual romance subplot, nothing huge enough to overshadow the main and side plots, but enough so the tension would have an outlet. I believe it would elevate their dynamic and make the dilemmas Saocheng was facing more difficult and enjoyable for the viewer to see. However, the lack of it didn't negatively impact my enjoyment that much.
Lots of heavy topics are covered in the plot, which truly adds an extra flavor. The political intrigues were nice to watch, and I didn't find them confusing or complicated at all. Li Zongxu's death was a highlight of the show for me. There were some romantic undertones that I caught from Lu Daxin towards Pingan in some scenes, and ideally we would have seen that too, but I'm asking for too much. The dynamic between the women was beautiful and I wish we got more scenes of them together. Hai Yiping and, especially, Wu Xianer were interesting antagonists although something was a bit lacking in Xianer's development? Can't quite pinpoint it as I'm writing this. I'm all for female villains who leave their male relatives (or lovers) behind for their own personal gain, though, and I'm very pleased with the absence of a love interest for her.
Individually, Pingan is a great character and one I enjoyed deeply. I would have liked to see her in more morally ambiguous situations where she'd have to make difficult decisions.

On the negative side, Pingan's abilities were never properly explained. She inherited some form of supernatural abilities from her aunt who is supposedly practicing something akin to witchcraft? From one point and onwards, the "this has been their plan all along" plot style keeps happening way too much, it borders on cliche. The viewer already knows Pingan has been one step ahead and isn't worried about her wellbeing or her mission's conclusion. There was a moment where I indeed questioned if Saocheng had switched sides but he had been proven to be too smart for such a reckless move, and the too on the nose "dislike" towards Pingan made it obvious they were working together again. Would have liked it if there was more angst in that department. The budget was also not as high as the story deserved. Finally, the plot was a bit rushed towards the end and there should be more episodes in order to build the viewer's relationship with the characters better - more screen time for the ladies and for the main leads to actually transition from rivals to cautionary allies to "friends" without the need for grandiose testaments of soulmates that seemed to have been expressed way too early. The final interaction we see between them being just a "Pingan" and a smile, with a gorgeous scenery in the background, was perfection.

*if I didn't consider them a very obvious romantic pair, but actually believed they were friends, I wouldn't be complaining. The female and male leads being just friends would be refreshing, but it just doesn't work with those two in my eyes.

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Completed
Unexpectedly Naughty Fukami
7 people found this review helpful
8 hours ago
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 4.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 3.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers

This series does not work...

I have hopes for all JBLs, but this one was a big disappointment. I don't care if the actors are straight, bi, gay, pan or whatever, but if you have intense material, you have to make sure they deliver. They did not. There are only dead-fish kisses, the nc-scenes are between akward and ridiculous. I doubt there was one queer person on the set. And of course they did have neither a workshop nor an intimacy coordinator.

We are lucky to have a direct comparision with "Fake Fact Lips". When actors really get into their roles, they can deliver even without any workshop. For sure "Fake Fact Lips" has the better script, the bigger budget but for sure also the much better actors. It does not mean that the actors in Fukami are bad, it's just they can't handle the intimacy this script and their roles require and so this series is a fail.

All good intensions, all good acting inbetween can't make up for the lack of intimacy and emotions. The story itself is not bad per se, everyone will easily understand it, but it should be a BL and there is no vibe of it at all. Of course 13 minute episodes do not help either to form a emotional connection, but this productions lacks even that. So for a japanese production this was utterly disappointing and you should not waste your time with it.

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Completed
The End of the World with You
0 people found this review helpful
8 hours ago
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 5.0
The premise is as chaotic as it is fascinating: a meteorite will impact Earth in 10 days, wiping out humanity. Amidst the global panic, Masumi, a depressed and unmotivated young man, decides to spend his remaining days in his old university library, reading in peace. However, his plan crumbles when he bumps into Ritsu, the man who broke his heart in the worst possible way in the past. Forced to deal with their unfinished business while the world falls apart, they end up making a pact to spend the end of times together.

Forget about innocent school romances. This series dives deep into passion, resentment, and raw desire. The tension between Toshiki Seto (Masumi) and Keisuke Nakata (Ritsu) is palpable from the very first second. The intimate scenes are not mere fan service; they reflect the desperation of two people who know they have no tomorrow.

Neither of the two protagonists is a saint. Ritsu is manipulative and selfish, while Masumi is full of insecurities and justified resentment. The drama slow-burns through flashbacks that explain why their past relationship was so toxic and how the end of the world forces them to grow up at breakneck speed.

Unlike big Hollywood productions, the apocalypse here is experienced intimately. Empty streets, looted stores, and a constant sunset light create an atmosphere of calm before the storm.

With only 8 short episodes, the introduction of secondary characters (like the high school student and the TV idol) halfway through the plot sometimes feels like a distraction from the main conflict between Masumi and Ritsu.

The special effects of the meteorite or the television news look a bit simple. If you are looking for a visual spectacle of mass destruction, this is not the place; the focus is purely emotional.

The End of the World with You is a dark, mature, and emotionally devastating BL. It stands out because it is not afraid to show the ugly side of love and emotional dependency, using the end of the world as the perfect catalyst for forgiveness. If you are looking for a short story with excellent acting, lots of tension, and a romance that feels real and desperate, this series is a must-watch.

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Completed
Soul Mate
0 people found this review helpful
9 hours ago
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 10

best series I have ever watched

I think this is the best series I have ever watched. It tells such a beautiful and deeply moving story, while also balancing humor and stunning cinematography. The use of flashbacks is absolutely brilliant. The director truly deserves an award for this work.
The chemistry between the two main characters feels completely natural and incredibly convincing, as if they were genuinely in love with each other. They must have had so much fun during filming, and you can see that in the behind-the-scenes videos on YouTube. For example, the filming of the bar scene on the evening after Johan arrives in Tokyo is absolutely hilarious.
I have never rewatched a series as many times as this one. Seriously, I have watched it eight times in the past three weeks alone, and some scenes even more often. I have also never cried so much because of a series. The story affects me very deeply. The filming locations are beautiful as well. The bridge in Berlin, the Friedrichsbrücke, serves as a symbol of their connection—a bridge between two cultures, crossing a bridge toward a major life change, or standing at a crossroads, which Johan literally does. The series is filled with symbolism that becomes even more meaningful and impressive with every rewatch. There are so many small details that you simply do not notice the first time. It is absolutely worth watching again. Though I must admit, I tend to skip the second half of Episode 7—it is just too heartbreaking.
At times, the drama hits you like a bulldozer, yet the performances of the two leads remain remarkably subtle. They can express more with a single facial expression than most actors can with pages of dialogue. It is astonishing. Perhaps because there are so few explicit scenes, the series relies heavily on their acting talent—and they showcase that talent magnificently. And honestly, would we ever have had these two outstanding actors in the series if they had been required to perform explicit scenes?
One of the things I find most beautiful and appealing about the series is precisely the absence of explicit scenes. It leaves plenty of room for the viewer’s imagination. At the same time, many things are hinted at in very subtle ways. You know their relationship goes much deeper and that there is more happening beneath the surface. I find that subtlety—and sometimes ambiguity—absolutely masterful. Sadly, many gay people in this world still have to communicate in subtle ways and express themselves indirectly because they cannot always be completely open about who they are, at least not in the way people often can in countries such as the Netherlands.
It is the little details that make the series so special: the Korean language book for beginners, the drawing Johan made of Ryu, the way they talk to each other on the phone, and the way Ryu smiles and says, “You must be very muscular by now,” when Johan has just completed his military service. The way Ryu looks at Johan while he is sleeping during his first visit. Or the way Johan jokingly asks Ryu whether two years of military service feels long or short. It is similar to Johan teasing Ryu by saying he is only staying in Japan for two nights during his first visit and asking whether Ryu is sad about it. In the bathhouse, Johan says he is grateful—grateful for everything that happened that day—and Ryu, sounding slightly nervous, asks, “What are you talking about?” Moments like these are wonderfully subtle. Of course they are gay. Johan is a regular visitor to a gay café, and Ryu certainly does not simply enter a relationship and move in with him for no reason. Ryu expresses it perfectly in the church, the Trinitatiskirche, when he says, “I am afraid when someone likes me.” Running away after Arata’s confession was his problem, and throughout the series he learns to overcome it. At the station, Berlin-Lichtenberg station, Johan tells Ryu, “I am just like you.” It is a beautiful line because it carries multiple meanings, touching on both the soul and the theme of running away.
And of course, the most beautiful moment of all comes at the end, when they say to each other, “Saranghae” and “Aishiteru” — “I love you.”
An absolutely wonderful series. I highly recommend watching it more than once

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Completed
Teach You a Lesson
8 people found this review helpful
by Kate Flower Award1
9 hours ago
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 6
Overall 10
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Rage healing and glorious slaps.

Let’s start with the fact this drama is borderline fantasy. This is not a show you watch for realism. This is a show you watch for rage healing. Half of these teens would be dead or in coma after even one of these slaps delivered by one and only Na Hwa Jin. With that in mind, you just cannot take the delivery seriously, but at the same time, you can appreciate the serious and realistic themes presented.

Teach You a Lesson is the purest form of entertainment. Gripping stories presenting many social issues that we all struggle with one way or another. Great heroes with fun and distinctive personalities. Complex dynamics between being victim and perpetrator and the moral dilemmas of rightful punishment and empathic help. Villains that are rage inducing enough it’s worth paying attention to their schemes, but not powerful enough to feel like the stakes are greater than life. Amazing fighting choreographies, great styling, soundtrack that makes your heart race and slaps that make your head spin. What more can anyone wish for?

This is by all means an easy binge watch type of a drama. While the bullies and abusers are awful, the way the stories are structured makes it easily digestible. No matter what, you know Na Hwa Jin will deliver his lessons and justice will be served. And the way he serves it is just magnificent. I have never seen better slaps in any drama ever. I am a strong believer that a good slap is better than a punch.

What’s more, I really like how balanced the characters were - cool Na Hwa Jin, professional Choi Gang Seok, crazy Im Han Rim and adorable Bong Geun Dae. Their personalities mixed and matched in all the right ways creating this unique and energetic synergy. While we had a rather meaningful and clear set up for Hwa Jin, Gong Seok and Han Rim and their involvement with ERPB, I wish we got the same clear answers for Bong Geun Dae. They hint what his background is, but it’s never as well stated as the others.

As a team they had their small conflicts and hiccups, certain disagreements on how to deal with presented situations and problems, but at the end of the day they always knew how to unite and work together.

For the cases, I’m not gonna sit here and pretend like they were well explored analysis of complex social issues, but I do appreciate how even with the simplicity they were able to highlight, even if just one the suffice, how complex these environments and dynamics between people are. Things like why do bullies bully? How much of them being prior victims should be considered when delivering punishment? Is resocialization always an option? Does everyone deserve a second chance? Do parents always want the best for their kids? Do kids bear sole responsibility for their actions? How much should the system be blamed for failing these kids? These are just a few examples of the themes tackled in the plot.

While Teach You a Lesson for sure highlights the bad deeds done by kids/teens and the lack of protection and authority teachers have, I do appreciate how we still got few examples of kids being the victims, teachers and parents being the abusers, and the system not protecting anyone - if the system does not protect the teachers, it does not protect the children either. If people who are supposed to educate and help raise these kids cannot do their job, at the end of the day it will mostly fail the students who will grow up into awful adults. Nothing was truly black and white (well, maybe some characters were closer to one or the other end of the spectrum), it was not all kids are evil and all teachers are poor victims. Everyone took part in upholding that failed system.

What I liked others can see as a flaw, so it’s worth pointing out. They don’t stay in one school for more than one episode. They are all one time close cases, there is not that much time for deeper exploration. This is not a character driven drama. The structure is simple, the set up is simple, the solutions are straightforward. But all that simplicity is just well crafted and delivered and that’s why it works.

On the actual flaws (though this is gonna sound bad), I hate how the female perpetrators did not get the same treatment as male. Ain’t no equality here - not one slap was delivered even if the girls were just as vicious as the guys. Especially since I heard it’s not the case in webtoon and there Im Han Rim does not hold back. It was especially evident with the set order of the episodes and the cases presented - one episode teen boys get their fingers broken, the other episode the girls get their collars grabbed and shoved a little bit.

For the more technical aspects - the performances were phenomenal. Shallow of me, I know, but Na Hwa Jin was extremely hot in this role. After every episode I kept thinking how attractive Kim Mu Yeol is in this role. Add actually amazing acting skills - that’s a whole package. Whenever empathy, ruthlessness, sadness, excitement, annoyance - no matter the emotions needed, he delivered. I don’t think I need to convince anyone that Lee Sung Min aced the role. I’m here just stating the obvious. Jin Ki Joo and P.O also shined in their own way - the roles they were playing were a bit less rooted in reality and extreme - nice contrast that worked well on screen. And then we have Lee Bong Joon - I am sorry, but I am going to question the goodness of any character he ever plays, this role had quite an impact.

Then we have production - I don’t think I have any complaints. The fighting scenes were perfect. That one cinematic experience in rain? I rewatched it a number of times. Not only was it exciting to watch, it was also shot in a truly aesthetic way. I also really like when dramas use light as a framing tool. The soundtrack? Perfectly matched to the scenes and emotional impact it’s supposed to have - “First And Last” being my favorite song for sure.

Overall, eye for an eye does not work in real life but damn it's healing to watch it in fiction. Na Hwa Jin literally treating the bullies and abusers 1:1 how they treated their victims was such a blast to witness. I was honestly having a huge grin on my face watching the episodes.

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Completed
Teach You a Lesson
1 people found this review helpful
9 hours ago
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

"A necessary shield for teachers and students when a broken system fails them"

This series is a masterpiece that fearlessly exposes the dark side of South Korea's classrooms and weak juvenile laws. It perfectly captures a terrifying real-world reality where teachers are genuinely afraid of their own out-of-control students. Everything from the heavy music to the cinematography is flawless. The action choreography is incredible—the iconic Episode 2 fight scene in the rain and lightning was pure cinematic perfection!

Kim Mu-yeol is phenomenal and massively underrated. After being hidden under the rock for years despite great roles like Juvenile Justice, 2026 is his year to shine. He brings a lethal, rugged, and intensely hot aura to Na Hwa-jin that is completely irreplaceable. Even though Kim Nam-gil was originally considered, no one else could have pulled off this specific, heavy dark swagger. Supported by a fantastic cast—including a strong female lead and the hilarious tech-genius Bong—the team chemistry is top-tier.

This is undeniably one of the absolute gems of 2026. It is a must-watch that balances profound emotional depth with bone-shattering justice. I am already desperately waiting for Season 2!

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Dual Stars
5 people found this review helpful
9 hours ago
6 of 6 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.0
Story 5.5
Acting/Cast 6.0
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 5.5
This review may contain spoilers

Typical chinese BL production but devoid of emotions...

As typical with chinese BLs, all the voices are lip-synced which is off-putting. If you notice they did it, it takes away immersion. While both leads are nice to look at, both acctors could not deliver. I did not see any sparks and of course the kisses were also lackluster and not really happening.

The topic of the show was not a bad one, but it was badly executed which jumps in the episodes because they had not enough time to tell the story properly. For a low budget production they have outdone themselves with locations and the size of the cast. Also cinematography was good, music decent but the acting did not drive the story as it should.

I have not much more to say, because it's one of the series to easily forget. It's not good and it's not bad, it's a "so, so". It would have been so much better if they had invested the time for more episodes, a more sophisticated script and especially if the actors would have really liked to play a gay man, but both didn't. I have no clue why they take on such roles when they are not into it. And I also have no clue why MDL calls it "taiwanese", when this is clearly a chinese production.

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