Reviews

My first drama ever — I was a clueless beginner who had no idea what she was walking into. And this why the ending destroyed my soul. 😭 Rewatched it many times.

In recent years I haven't felt the urge to go back — maybe I don't want to ruin it by noticing the cringe or the messy script my rational mind knows is there.... But it doesn't matter! This one has a permanent place in my heart. I'll make my children and grandchildren watch it someday and feel content seeing them cry.

And the OST still makes me emotional — which probably means the story is still ''effective".💔

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The moments between them made me blush.

The plot (the business, the political intrigue) is kinda weak — I'll admit that. But everything else? Hard to fault.

What i like very much is how the story handles the ML's and FL's trauma as children.
Also. The cinematography is stunning, it had some funny moments...and the chemistry between the leads is unlike anything I've seen. It felt less like watching actors perform and more like accidentally intruding on something private 🫣 — they were that convincing together! Sweet, real and completely believable.

About the ~10 episode misunderstanding:
Zhao Pan'er is a former entertainer — a woman society looks down on — and yet she carries herself with quiet dignity and pride. She was betrayed once by her scholar ex, so when she starts suspecting Gu Qianfan — the Commander of the Capital Security Office, feared by everyone and known as the "Living Devil" — of the same, it doesn't feel cheap or forced (for me).
Also from our ML`s perspective - he is a man carrying the shame of his father's name and who spent his whole life being feared rather than loved— so his hesitation felt real, even if ten episodes can test your patience. People call the misunderstanding weak writing or too frustrating, but given who they were, it can be believable.

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Absolute garbage

After watching this gigantic piece of shit, here’s my opinion:

Where to even start? Let’s talk about the story:
The film throws us into a war, then a “Godzilla” appears and kills almost everyone except our protagonist. Then comes a sequence where Godzilla wrecks everything, and he kills it. Honestly, the story is absolute garbage. Having watched every Godzilla from the 1998 one to the latest, I’ve never seen a story with zero soul or even any sense. In all those films, I’ve never seen Godzilla attack humans like this just because he’s bored (that’s the impression I get). In the other movies, there’s always a reason — the fish or the Titans (monsters like him). Here, it just makes no sense at all!

Now let’s talk about Godzilla’s design:
What the hell is this shit?!
First, his size. All Godzillas are gigantic. This one barely clears a 5-story building. Did he not get enough soup growing up or what’s the problem?
Let’s talk about the way he moves. Does he have a ballet stuck up his ass? He moves like an NPC???
What’s with that head!? He’s smiling like a mongoloid??
At the end, the sea monster dies because he didn’t do his decompression stages. What the fuck is this nonsense????? The guy is the boss of the seas but if he goes too deep and comes back up, he dies??????????

Now let’s talk about the absurd scenes:

“Godzilla” fires a beam that creates a nuclear explosion and generates a shockwave that sends thousands of pieces of wall flying. The woman gets caught in it, BUT thanks to the power of the magic of friendship, she survives with just a broken arm.
The scene where he kills Godzilla is absolutely sad and grotesque. He kills a sea monster by drowning it.

Why make a film in black and white and then one in color?

Honestly, I love Godzilla. This shitty thing is not Godzilla. It’s a pale copy!

If you’ve got time to waste, then go ahead and watch it!

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Cool Storyline

This drama decipts a very cool and somewhat realistic side of what it feels like being a teenager. The confusion, the crushes , the clumsiness and the cuteness sums up how it feels being in high school and discovering yourself ( at least that what I felt when I was watching it).
The storyline is very cute and fun. I think all in all its very heartwarming seeing the characters grow into people they know they can be but are scared of , especially the FML , there were so many times when i was frustrated watching her and her relationship with her parents but the way she handled them is the same way any teenager would , which was nice seeing. The realistic way we deal with situations and our emotions.

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Everyone Wants Arthdal and I Don't Know Why Because It's a Toxic Place

It's hard when actors replace the established actors of beloved characters. I had that initial disappointment when I saw the sweet cherub face of Song Joong Ki was now represented by fierce Lee Joon Gi. SJK was perfect as the naive member of the Wahan clan; LJG was equally as perfect as the Inaishingi warrior. LJG was better suited for the new physical demands of Eun Seom; he's always a pleasure to watch in action scenes. Playful, willful Tan Ya"s Kim Ji Won performance was replaced with a quiet, bland adaptation by Sin Sae Kyeong. I had to remind myself the characters were bound to change with the passage of eight or so years and the trials they'd been through. I never warmed to the new Tan Ya, but the part wasn't written to endear me. There was nothing left of the original Tan Ya's personality for me to recognize. And Saya—what a change: from effeminate schemer to masculine evil. His former personality was unrecognizable.

It helped for continuity that the king and queen were played by the same actors. And what acting it was. Jang Dong Gun and Kim Ok Bin were scene stealers. They were magnificent villains, real and raw—the type of evil that was explained by their circumstances and born out of necessity. Fabulous portrayals of damaged people, who even at their most repugnant moments could evince their vulnerabilities.

The story was bleaker in cinematography and tone than its predessors. There were few happy moments to bond with the characters. It was understandable. They were at war. Treachery, treason, and death were the constants. I couldn't help feeling that the script had been infected with George R. R. Martin's nihilistic approach to killing off beloved characters in a meaningless, abrupt way. I really hate that. I was also frustrated through many situations when it seemed no one could think logically; I really dislike sloppy writing that relies on the characters to be stupid to advance the plot.

The ending wrapped up the current arc but gave a preview of trouble in paradise. There could easily be several more seasons of Arthdal adventures if the Powers That Be want it, as there was no resolution with Saya or Taealha; the Neanthals may want retribution; and, personally, I want to see more MoMos.

I gave Arthdal Chronicles Part 1: The Children of Prophecy and 8.5 rating (it was tasked with setting up the story and introducing characters); Arthdal Chronicles Part 2: The Sky Turning Inside Out, Rising Land (2019) was rated 9 stars (the story took off); Arthdal Chronicles Part 3: The Prelude to All Legends (2019) continued the excitement and was rated 9 stars; and Arthdal Chronicles: The Sword of Aramun (2023) was given an 8 star rating.

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Special episode more like special trauma

After completing the whole series in a day I was looking forward to watching the special episode with a smile on my face and a full heart I began watching it. My smile began to fade as the minutes passed closer to the end. The last few scenes had me screaming, crying in a chokehold. My heart genuinely clenched itself and I was so distraught, all of that to then read another review and find out I hadn’t fully completed the episode and that Joke was still alive. Whoever made this episode doesn’t deserve peace but I hope there will be a second season if not a second “special” episode.

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Hot Kissing

Affinity was one of those short Chinese dramas that pulls you in even when you know it’s full of red flags 🚩 and somehow you still can’t stop watching.

What made this drama stand out was the mix of dark romance, science fiction, and obsession. Xie Xinxu and Wu Nongyu’s relationship was never soft or simple—it was intense, dangerous, and built on this strange biological pull caused by the A and B virus connection. Instead of a typical sweet romance, it gave us something darker: love mixed with control, fear, desire, and emotional healing. That made it addictive to watch. The drama follows Wu Nongyu, a graduate student in bio-genetic engineering, and Xie Xinxu, a man with antisocial tendencies who becomes obsessively drawn to her, with their bond tied to mysterious viruses and genetic attraction.

Cui Yuxin played the male lead perfectly—cold, possessive, and unsettling, but still carrying moments where you could see the loneliness underneath. Fang Jin balanced that well by making Wu Nongyu feel like more than just the girl being chased; she had strength, intelligence, and the determination to fight against fate instead of simply accepting it.

Visually, the drama had a strong atmosphere. The dark academic style, haunting music, and suspenseful pacing gave everything a dangerous, almost hypnotic feeling. It felt less like a normal romance and more like watching two people trapped inside something neither of them fully understood.

Of course, logic is not this drama’s strongest point. If you go in expecting realistic science or a healthy love story, this is not it. But if you enjoy obsessive male leads, psychological tension, and “this is toxic but I need one more episode” energy, Affinity absolutely delivers. Many viewers described it exactly that way—“toxic but addictive” and a guilty pleasure binge. ()

Overall, Affinity is messy, intense, and unforgettable. It’s not a perfect drama, but it knows exactly what kind of story it wants to tell—and for fans of dark romance, that makes it worth the watch.

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Exploring The World of Thai Dramas Past BL Continues 2 Be Worth It

My experience with Thai shows has largely been through their BLs. However, if my experience with this drama, as well as Zomvivor, and Dalah: Death and the Flowers, is anything to go by, I think their thrillers are something to look into

At the beginning of this drama, I was convinced that maybe I needed to start scamming as a side hustle. By the end of it, though... yeah, I'm not cut out for this shit. Let me keep fighting for my life through my 8-to-5 job, before I achieve my dream of living the digital nomad lifestyle.

This drama is a riveting watch. It does falter a little in the middle, but the overall concept is enough to keep you watching. Scamming through religion is a thing we all know happens, but we've never gotten a look behind that proverbial curtain. This drama helps us see what that potentially could be like. It is also (I think) a bit of a fascinating study in marketing and running a business

The characters:
1. Win - I find him incredibly unlikeable. He is brilliant, yes, but he is self-important, doesn't communicate well with others, and is a terrible friend. Given his behavior, you'd think he was the only one in his friend group with family issues. His story with his mother gets the biggest spotlight, but as we can see with the other two, Game and Dear don't have it easy with their families either. Yes, they have more money than him, especially Game, but as we see, money isn't everything.

2. Game - The idiot with a heart of gold and terrible decision-making skills. I could go on a rant on how he handled that situation with Taeng, but I will not. What I'll say is, based on the fact that they had a loan shark blackmailing them for money, threatening his family, he should have thought twice before indulging Taeng beyond that initial 500k. How in the hell do you hide a fugitive in a building with your family name on it? Come on, man.

3. Dear - Naive, sad, overlooked, and overworked. I got so mad every time she was alone working late, lugging boxes, files, and shit. She needed to get those two men to lug around those files, boxes, and planning things with her.

4. Monk Dol - The surprise character for me. I fell in love with his story. His doomed love was heartbreaking, yet interesting to watch. It loved watching a religious man battle with his earthly desires. It's not often that we see this.
What makes this side plot such a good watch is that it's not framed in a horny/salacious way. It's so pure and heartwarming, yet heartbreaking. As the audience, you know he wasn't out here always having innocent 'hand-holding at the beach' thoughts about Dear, we know that. But I like that it's not framed that way.

His story sent me down a mini rabbit hole into monkhood. Growing up Catholic, I knew that once you're in it, you're in it for life. It turns out that Thai monks don't have to stay monks forever, even when they were ordained at a young age. I also learned interesting facts about forest and city Monks.

5 Ekkachai - You snake

The overarching plot, from a simple scam (if we can call scamming over 45 million bhat simple) to now dealing with big-time corrupt political officials and drug cartels, makes me interested in watching the 2nd season. Hopefully it holds up. And Monk Dol has his happy ending. I need bro to go back to his forest monk ways and live peacefully and quietly 😭.

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Unexpectedly liked this

This drama had so many wonderful moments, even though I had high expectations when I started it and I wasn't disappointed!! The characters were so enjoyable and funny and the music was absolutely breathtaking, it was the main reason why I wanted to watch the drama.
It is a slow paced drama, which I'm used to and love, but at the same time I wish it wasn't so long. So many characters were introduced and they also had mini side plots of their relationships, which was rushed at the very end of the drama :(

I cried when I saw that ending, like it felt like someone punched me in the stomach, it was beautiful.

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wasted potential

I wish I liked this as much as most people did. and in the beginning I really was liking it. unfortunately it ended with so much disappointment.

I loved the premise, the time travel and revenge plot. It had the potential to do so well, and started off so strong, but it ended up falling very flat.

Pond’s acting was amazing! I’ve only seen him in Fourever You before this, and in that drama he basically had 2.5 expressions the whole time lol. this drama made me realize that it was more of an issue with the direction, and not his acting skills. if I hadn’t seen him here, I wouldn’t have known just how amazing he can be when given the proper scope. this was my first time seeing Peterpan, and BOY is he handsome! the chemistry he had with Pond was FIIIIIREEEE😭 their chemistry was the only thing that kept me going tbh.

now comes the bad parts, which was a lot of things. first of all, I wish the time jump was a little bit shorter instead of 25 years. in the present times the main leads would be somewhere around 45-50 years old, since Armin couldn’t have been any younger than 20 in the years ago timeline. 25 years isn’t really an insignificant time. I’m not expecting them frail and old, but the characters looked like they hadn’t aged a single day. just brushing the hair back and putting on glasses doesn’t make anyone look 25 years older. if the time jump really had to be 25 years and no less than that, least they could’ve done is investing a little bit more on making the make up a bit more believable. it’s not that hard in this day and age.

Armin’s hairstyle at the beginning of time jump was ridiculous, and made him look like he fled from a mental asylum or something. thank God that hair was gone soon😭

the story started off so intriguing, but become increasingly stupid as the show progressed. the acting of most a lot of the side characters and the direction often ended up being lakorn-like, and it was not enjoyable in any way. the villain felt like a cartoon character throwing tantrums.

the most annoying part for me was the sound. in top of the post production dubbing that made everything they said sound so fake, the use of sound effects and bgm in every waking second almost made my ears bleed. the fact that it kept switching from overly dramatic, to comedic, to romantic, to something else constantly didn’t help either. at one point I literally had to watch it on mute for some time, it was that unbearable.

overall, this just felt like a waste of potential 💔

the only reason why I didn’t rate it lower than this is because of the main leads’ acting and chemistry. I hope we get to see Peterpan and Pond together in another series again, because it would be a shame to not utilize that chemistry again!

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Social media did the heavy lifting for this drama

I have to admit, the edits going around online last month were enough to pull me back into asian dramas after a three-year break. But after trying to watch it, I dropped it somewhere around episode 5.

The acting felt hollow and that alone was enough to reframe every TikTok edit I'd fallen for. All those cute, romantic, sexy with ''insane top-tier chemistry'' moments? Just scenes written/filmed specifically to go viral, rather than to serve an actual story or character.

Then there's the ML — supposedly a feared, iron-blooded general with a blood feud and a faked death on his record…and yet somehow the most threatening thing about him was his cheekbones.
And from what I heard it doesn't get better for his dignity. The FL ends up out there handling business while he's busy looking flawless in slow motion — and the Chinese military even officially commented on his makeup. That's all I'll say. 💀

So 2.5/10 — 2 points for the cinematography and a small 0.5 for dragging me back into asian dramas after three years sober. 💀

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