Reviews

Intense, action mafia thriller-comedy (sadly no romance)

A fun, well-paced thriller that comedically intertwines the legal justice system and the underbelly of the mafia underworld. Absolutely NOT a romance (though they had the perfect setup), but a tale of found family.

Vincenzo is a complex character that balances his mafia background with his comedic group of troublemakers as they battle the justice system to keep their building complex intact. It's immensely satisfying when his dark side comes out when he has enough of the opposing side's shenanigans. Somehow it is the perfect balance of an dark action-thriller and light-hearted comedy.

However, this drama is just not my cup of tea. Gradually, I did become invested because the plot is so action-packed that it makes it hard to not keep viewing. I just wish they turned Vincenzo and Cha-Young into a couple. They were the perfect partners-in-crime with the best chemistry. Yet, the most we got were little, tiny crumbs that hinted they had feelings for each other. Honestly, it left a bad taste in my mouth and made the ending felt unfinished.

Read More

I would lovve a whole 40 ep long form version of this

Sooo usually when getting into a short drama you would expect less.... but for this drama, the expectations should be high! The story and the way its shot makes me want a whole long form 40 ep drama. I am honestly dreading the moment it will finish. I am just so disappointed that this drama didnt have a huge budget bcs if it did than it would be POJ quality. I love the leads, especially the male lead. If this drama would ever be recreated to become a full length drama, they should def keep the lead cast (or maybe change the female lead). The best part is its not low quality cringey vibes. Anyways its a really good one and i really dont want it to end so soon

Read More

Great little whodunnit with a side order of BookForce

There is so much to like about this story but I do feel the last few chapters could have been significantly shorter as once we get to the bottom of the mystery there are still several chapters to go and we end up watching a lot (ok so it was all cute) of padding so I docked a point for this.

The story centres round two characters Tankoon (played by Force) and Botpleng (played by Book). The former is a criminal psychologist and the latter a wealthy young man with no memory of his life following an unknown trauma approximately 10 years earlier.

One day (Bot)Pleng anonymously receives a diary documenting his life before his memory loss and in it he discovers he had an all encompassing love affair with a man called Tan(koon). Days later he finds a body in a suitcase and to his horror, as he turns round to see if there is anyone else nearby, Tan walks onto the scene which puts Pleng firmly in the suspect bucket as he is standing over the body when he arrives. Tan is immediately drawn to Pleng and as his curiosity (both personal and professional) is piqued he manages to get an invite onto the team investigating why the body they found belongs to a member of staff at one of Pleng’s many residences.

The plot thickens, another body is found, also tied to Pleng’s household and Pleng discovers that the man he waxes lyrical about his diary is not Tan but Tan’s dead brother Thunphob who for some reason says his name is Tan. Emotions run high and bonds of trust and friendship are built on pillars of sand.

Down the line we discover that someone is preventing Pleng from regaining his memories and he becomes worried that it was him that killed Thunphob. We also learn that Pleng is not really Pleng but a young companion called Tontharn brought into the family and unofficially adopted to become Pleng’s little brother. To top it all off a whole catalogue of lies and deception is uncovered when Pleng finally gets his memories back.

The chemistry between Book and Force is electric as usual with great banter and play fights. There is more skin than usual in their intimate scenes and Force spends quite a lot of time getting topless which is unusual for this couple but rather easy on the eye...

The other actors and their sub plots also add to the drama and we get to enjoy JuniorMark (from my perfect 10 liners) and Boun from between us) in all their glory too.

The penultimate scene paralleling Tan & Tontharn and Thunphob & (the real) Pleng on bicycles is really poignant and I will admit to feeling a lot sentimental and slightly tearful as I watched their carefree journeys on the same patch of dirt track. Kudos to the writers and direction for such a powerful scene.

The cinematography and the staging was great and added to the whole drama.

Would I watch it again? Probably not, but it was a lovely way to test the brain cells (the whodunnit) and enjoy Book and Force in action again.

Read More

Demons and humans and their complicated interactions

This show features an imaginative world where demons and humans coexist. The people are as skeptical as we’ve always been, so in a fun reversal of normal dynamics, our protagonists sometimes need to deal with the incredulity of a disbelieving public.

The FL, Banxia, is not particularly smart, strong, skilled, anything- she’s often afraid and needs to be saved. She is, however, very reasonable. I often thought her words, actions, even thoughts and feelings, made perfect sense given her position and abilities, and I agreed with her behavior throughout. All these traits make her relatable and likable. I still didn’t love her, but I found no fault with her- she’s got what she’s got. And she does get braver throughout the show.

As for the ML, Xuanye- I really like his vibe. Even despite his tragic past and impressive abilities, he has this casual, down-to-earth style. He’s not trying to act cool, he just talks and acts like a normal person. Most of the time he looks harassed, but sometimes he also looks flabbergasted, incredulous, exasperated, taken aback, etc. And sometimes he looks genuinely happy. He’s low-key, selfless, and very likable.

The romance between them is done well. It grows naturally, and between Banxia with her healthy communication and secure attachment style and Xuanye avoiding awkward conversations like the plague, it’s not too flowered up or overdone. I also don’t like awkwardness so Xuanye really saved me here. There are still awkward scenes, like with side characters, but they are on purpose for humor and actually funny.

Speaking of funny, I wouldn’t call this a comedy, but there are legit lots of hilarious moments. The humor is incorporated well so it doesn’t feel forced, I thought the funny moments were really funny.

As for side characters, this show had quite a few that I really like and who also show up regularly. I think in general the side characters are done well, have personalities and screentime, though I wouldn’t have minded seeing more of them- some of them still get forgotten.

For the plot, some of the story arcs feel a bit drawn out, just going on for too long. I actually watched a lot of the show at 1.25X speed (this also because Banxia talks really slowly). But I think the story arcs get better as the show goes on, and I found the last one very exciting. Some of them made me anxious, but they end up mostly resolving in ways I was satisfied with- the protagonists and I seem to agree on who is good or bad, and who deserves sympathy. The ending got some hate but I don’t think it’s that bad, see below for more details.

A special shoutout to the world building. I wasn’t always too impressed by the CGI of the demons, but I think the dynamics of the world are well-done, showing how demons and humans can be both good and bad, and the way prejudice and power dynamics play into their dynamic. The show even does some explaining about how demonkind works, which is pretty cool.

Acting-wise, I really like this role for Allen. Some of his expressions legit made me laugh, and his smile also made me smile. For Song Zuer, I think she’s a decent actress, and having the patience to speak that slowly is no small feat. I wasn’t a huge fan of the way her mouth seems to be hanging open a lot (just not the most flattering look?), but small quibble.

I didn’t always love the CGI in this show, but I thought the fighting is quite good, top half of what I’ve seen. It’s excessively acrobatic but the hand-to-hand is actually quite solid. The costumes are alright- I really like Allen’s styling (he looks like he came out of an RPG) but this is not my favorite style for the ladies and I didn’t really like Banxia’s hair. For the music, I liked some of it- maybe one or two of the OSTs and a few of the BGMs- most of it was not my favorite, but okay.

Overall I think this is a pretty good show that I enjoyed watching, though not a masterpiece that I love. I did sag on it a few times but I think it was mostly due to anxiety, and then things ended up resolving alright. It ends up being a good mix of warmth and trauma. I would watch a sequel, though I’d be surprised if we actually got one.

ENDING – READ AHEAD ONLY IF YOU WANT TO KNOW, CONTAINS SPOILERS





Ah yes, the famous “sad ending” that everyone keeps ranting about in comments. I honestly don't think it's so bad. Everything works out except the main couple are willingly separated at the end. You can see the wheels turning, though (his dad examining the broken travel pass artifact, Banxia asking for directions, etc).

In more detail: excessively tragic events towards the end are undone for the last two episodes by time reversal. Time reversal is one of my least favorite tropes, but this one is actually pretty well done- everyone seems to be roughly the same person, and the same story arcs still happen in some form. This also gives us 2 episodes of closure to see how many (though not all) of the side characters fare in this redo, which is a nice second chance and wrapup for some of the story arcs (...I am still sad about the little black cat, though).

Plus, there are echoes of the original timeline in the new one. Mainly, Xuanye still remembers everything, which puts him in a heartbreakingly bittersweet situation. Luckily, Banxia regains her memory too, so the two of them get maybe ¾ of an episode to catch up and say goodbye. I do think it’s a bit forced melodrama to tug at heartstrings (cmon, how did that artifact break?) but it’s not bad and leaves the story open to a future reunion.

I did google the “original ending” intended by the writer, and agree it’s much better. In this ending, Xuanye forgets everything after the time reversal, but Banxia regains memory and goes to find him, they defeat enemies together and he also remembers everything again. It’s much better all around from character development and closure points of view, and they totally could have fit in another story arc with 4 more episodes... but, whatever, we got what we got. Rate a show for what it is, not what it isn’t.

Read More

What a trainwreck!

If you like gothic-horror where people in a house with seemingly no outside contact die off one-by-one this one might be for you! For me, it was a train wreck of a show I couldn't look away from. Even so about episode 15, I was getting a bit bored, and skimmed through the last four episodes as I had figured out the killer by ep 5 or so.

The ML is given nothing to do. The FL seems to be clever, and I liked that but the plot started to fragment halfway through with dad waking up from the coma and being able to walk around, and evil step-mom going crazy, and the mysterious poison being given to everyone (why wasn't it given to FL right off the bat? That would resolve the reason the killer was doing all of this).

Every episode has a dozen tropes squeezed into it, but it goes off the rails into scary-town and everyone is dark and tragic. The motivations behind some characters are head-scratching, and in the long run, the plot makes no sense. There is a separation and time jump that is stupid as it resolves nothing, but the leads do get together at the end (by that time I just didn't care).

Not a rewatch for me, and personally, I can't really recommend it. It's just a weird little show.

Read More

A very beautiful Taiwanese BL (sensitive, humanist, moving)

PLOT: Wei Qian, even though he was really young , has managed to provide for his sister, Lili, and the street kid he took in (and adopted?), Zhi Yuan. It was difficult; he was involved with a gang, but he eventually managed to break free. His friend, Sang Pan, completes this "family." Xiong helps him resume his studies, and Xiong, Sang Pan, and Qian end up starting a business. However, Zhi Yuan, now a young adult, loves Qian and finally confess him and kisses him. Qian, distraught, sends him to finish his studies in the US. But time and distance don't erase these feelings.

+++ ☆✲ﾟ｡(((´♡‿♡`+)))｡ﾟ✲☆ Chris Chui and Kurt Huang are fantastic, intense, and moving. The chemistry is palpable. Kudos!!
+++ Superb cast with great actors (all of them)
+++ I love these Taiwanese series; they're realistic, not focused on the elite, but on ordinary people. There are no clichés, no over-used plot twists, no obvious coincidences.
+++ The storytelling focuses on the psychological development of the characters (and it's believable). The budgets are limited, but used intelligently. The message is very humanist and positive.
+++ The OSTs are well-suited to the emotions conveyed.

=> This isn't a BL. It's a magnificent story of love, family, and resilience.
**************************************************
Très jolie BL taïwanaise (sensible, humaniste, émouvante)

PLOT : Le ML, Wei Qian, s'est débrouillé pr subvenir aux besoins de sa soeur, Lili, et du gamin des rues qu'il a recueilli (et adopté ?), Zhi Yuan. Cela a été difficile, il a fait partie d'1 gang, mais finit par réussir à s'en sortir. Son pote, Sang Pan, complète cette "famille". Xiong l'aide à reprendre ses études, et Xiong, Sang Pan et Qian finissent par monter une start-up. Cpdt, Zhi Yuan, adulte, aime Qian et finit par le lui dire et l'embrasser. Qian, désemparé, l'envoie finir ses études aux US. Mais le temps et la distance n'effacent pas ces sentiments.

+++ ☆✲ﾟ｡(((´♡‿♡`+)))｡ﾟ✲☆Chris Chui et Kurt Huang sont fantastiques, intenses, émouvants. L'alchimie est palpable. Kudos !!
+++ Superbe casting avec de great actors (tous)
+++ J'aime ces séries taïwanaises, réalistes, pas centrées sur les élites, mais sur des gens ordinaires. Il n'y a pas de clichés, de twists usés, de coïncidences grossières.
+++ La narration est focus sur l'évolution psychologique des personnages (et elle est crédible). Les budgets sont limités, mais utilisés intelligemment. Le message est très humaniste, positif.
+++ Les OSTs sont bien adaptées aux émotions transmises.

=> Ce n'est pas une BL. C'est une magnifique histoire d'amour, de famille, de résilience.

Read More

Great life lesson for all ages, but VERY slow paced

It's NOT Too late to fulfill a dream

Great plot worth to watch, although for me personally this was waaaaaaaaaaay too slowpaced, so I had a hard time to finish it, despite liking the plot, so I can only give it a 7/10 rating.

People should watch it to get encouragement to boldly do things, follow your wishes, start over etc.

The friendship between the young 20s man and the much older 70 year old man was really heart-touching too. They both learned and grew from each other. I cried alot. Already since ep 1.

Finally, but not the least, it's great to have a kdrama where narrow gender roles aren't followed and two men are not too scared to do ballet, their passion.

Read More

promising premise with lackluster writing

Overall: I hope Pearl and Peak get a better script in the future because the writers tried to do way too much and they made Scent irredeemable for a romantic lead part. 8 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/6944/flower-boy-2026-e01 (not in Thailand, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Macau)

Content Warnings: manipulation, past murders, past held against will/torture, non con kiss, non con sex*, non con touching/manhandling, death

What I Liked
- unique premise
- countryside setting for part of it
- visuals
- Pearl & Peak
- neutral on Ray, he didn't mean to have the effect it did when he pushed Gaysorn and he and his boyfriend did want to help Gaysorn learn the truth (though was was with the boyfriend taking those secretive pictures of Gaysorn in episode 6? it was still odd when they addressed it in episode 8)

Room For Improvement
- *Gaysorn was very traumatized and not in his normal head space, he also did not have all of the information about Scent/Scent's intentions (taking the post sex pillowcase was so yuck), the first 5 episodes did not show romance, just manipulation of someone extremely naive/innocent
- the underwater non con kiss was not sweet
- Scent couldn't think why Gaysorn would be upset and leave him in ep 6...use your brain Scent, what were you doing that was extremely hurtful to your supposed soulmate...
- so many stupid/nonsense things (did no one try to pay them either in the past or the present???)
- wtf, why wasn't Scent's dad tossed in jail too, he was fine with her being tortured/held against her will and just stood there as the uncle strangled her to death and then when he apologized to Scent, Scent said "that's okay" ugh
- camera angle blocked kiss with the side couple
- open ending, did he die???

Thoughts on Grey Characters/Their Romantic Relationships
Sometimes these characters and their dynamic work for me and other times they don't. Here are the factors that I'm thinking about.
1. was there a realistic reason why the character/s acted the way they did in the past/present - (kind of, Scent thinks he'll save his father's life though he never visits him so his undying love rings hollow)
2. were both characters grey or was one squeaky clean (Gaysorn is the most naive/innocent character ever while Scent has a playboy reputation and was very manipulative)
3. what was the duration/severity of the harmful behavior - (finally in episode 6 Gaysorn learned the truth (not from Scent who I think would never had told him the truth), that was way too long for the manipulation to go on with only 2 episodes left
4. was there some kind of apology/amend making (in episode 6 there were a few I'm sorrys and drunk crying)
5. was there character growth (I think so, Scent did have a solid speech in episode 8 that he didn't deserve Gaysorn)
6. do I believe that the characters will stay together in a happy romantic relationship (ummm, not with that ending with the way that I'm interpreting it)

Read More

First Impression: Love of Silom (uncut version)

Overall: fantastic visuals with some nonsense plot. Final review could change a lot in either direction. Airing on WeTV uncut https://wetv.vip/en/play/bxtr3r0z3fgpe7d/u4102fulffn and WeTV cut https://wetv.vip/en/play/myqt8siebvvlfdd/x4102glny62
(first episode was 15 minutes longer in the uncut version)

Content Warnings: manipulation, choking, violence, threatened rape

What I Liked
- visuals
- easy to understand premise

Room For Improvement
- what I would give for safe, sane, consensual and sexy BDSM in fictional media
- there was nonsense plot things like a person who was knocked unconscious was not immediately taken to a hospital, also police interviewing an apparent victim and perpetrator at the same place/time sitting side by side

Read More

Good Storyline

Different Princess is one of those dramas that surprises you when you go in expecting something light and simple, only to end up emotionally invested. At first glance, it feels like another “author falls into her own novel” story, but it quickly becomes much more entertaining because of its strong character chemistry, mystery twists, and the balance between comedy and emotional depth.

The story follows Hua Qing Ge, a web novel writer who suddenly finds herself trapped inside the world of her own historical novel after readers criticize her tragic ending. Instead of being the powerful heroine, she becomes a side character destined for disaster. What makes the drama fun is watching her try to outsmart her own plot while realizing that stories—and people—don’t always follow the script she wrote.

The strongest part of the drama is definitely the relationship between Hua Qing Ge and Ji Chu. Their romance is a slow burn, full of teasing, suspicion, and emotional tension. Ji Chu carries a darker and more complex energy than the usual male lead. He starts as someone cold and dangerous, driven by revenge, but gradually reveals his loneliness and desire for real affection. His performance gives the drama much of its emotional weight. Hua Qing Ge brings humor and chaotic energy that keeps the story lively, and their chemistry makes even the ridiculous moments believable. ()

Another thing the drama does well is pacing. Many transmigration dramas get stuck repeating the same “I must follow the original plot” problem for too long, but Different Princess moves faster. The story shifts early, allowing the mystery and side characters to become more interesting. Even the secondary couples have enough emotional pull to keep viewers invested. Reddit viewers especially praised the twists, the bickering-lovers dynamic, and how engaging the mystery remained through the middle episodes. ()

That said, the drama is not perfect. The female lead can feel overly immature at times, and some viewers found her decisions frustrating. The ending also leaves mixed feelings—it is not terrible, but it feels rushed and slightly underwhelming after such strong emotional buildup. Many fans felt that one extra episode would have created a much more satisfying conclusion. ()

Overall, Different Princess is not a grand masterpiece, but it is absolutely an enjoyable watch. It is funny, romantic, dramatic, and surprisingly heartfelt. If you enjoy historical fantasy dramas with playful female leads, dangerous princes, strong chemistry, and a little “fixing your own mistakes” chaos, this drama is worth your time.

My Rating: 8.5/10

It may not be perfect, but it is charming, addictive, and one of those dramas that keeps you saying, “just one more episode.”

Read More

a beautiful mutual unwavering crush

at first i thought this drama was like any other crush drama small memories from the past with leads getting together at the present but this was diffrent the present and the past hits the same multiple times we watch both the past and the present at the same time we even saw the FL predicting that the ML liked her back then while writing her novel espically the holding hand scene the ML hold the FL hands and instead of confessing hes crush he just said sorry wrong person while hiding a deep feeling only he knows about a feeling even 12 years couldnt make that feeling dissapear i wanna talk about the leads and the acting and how good the chemistry is honestly the kissing scenes wasnt too much after leads only got together at ep 24 sadly like a mutual crush story couldve been much earlier but they choose to make a new full slow burn for leads while returning to their old flames a flame that was cooking on a very low speed until they met together and that flame got even bigger and bigger the FL finally got to know the real ML the warm one instead of the cold and aloof one he was predicting to be and honestly if the ML never faked that personna and was real with the FL from the start maybe their interactions at the start wouldve been much smoother instead of many awkward scenes between them this ML acting is always top i remeber i watch you are my secret and he was good there too but honestly this drama did make 6 ep alomst fully focused on the ML and the FL but you are my secret did a much better job presenting the ML and FL dating and kissing even tho it was a one sided crush from the ML like there even tho it was a one sided crush they got together at ep 10 or smthing like that and the drama was 32 ep long with full growth of both the ML and the FL but overall I REALLY LIKED THIS DRAMA i was a bit dissapointed that they only got together at ep 24 but those last few ep already did the job espically their wedding night like it was like 3 or 4 min of them kissing this drama really hits diffrent butttt i really wouldve loved to see a time skip with their child and maybe second couple also get married (the ML bestfriend and the FL bestfriend) and maybe the ML sister and her friend confess and also get together we see the succese of the ML after comming back to china and the succese of the FL novel all over the world and the perfection of its adaption yes i really recommend this one dont give it up from the 15 ep the best ep are the last phew ay alomst forgot the story had sm thrill without drama between the couples the thrill was external tho this was one of the reason i liked this drama neither the second male lead neither the second female lead did anything to destroy the main couple relationship maybe a few tries from the second female lead but was a complete failure after the ML liked the FL for 12 years hes love cant be on impulse as she said

Read More

A Hypnotic Subversion of State-Enforced Conformity

ABO Desire is a fascinating, bizarre, and ultimately hypnotic mystery-horror-stalker mashup. While it utilizes the "Omegaverse" (Alpha/Beta/Omega) framework, it serves as a scathing satire of elite obsession, labor exploitation, and the rigid social engineering associated with contemporary Chinese power structures.

The series is anchored by an outstanding, intense performance by Huang Xing. He is a master of microexpressions, allowing a myriad of thoughts and feelings to flicker across his face to communicate volumes without a word. His hypnotic presence makes the "Enigma" reveal feel like a profound philosophical shift rather than a mere plot twist.

His Enigma represents a radical "Third Way" outside the traditional Alpha/Omega binary. By portraying the Enigma as someone who holds the most power yet has zero interest in titles or status, the show mocks the elite’s social obsession with rank. It suggests that true agency is only possible by subverting the patriarchal, hypermasculine power dynamics promoted by both the genre and contemporary Chinese state-aligned “gender policies.”

A particularly poignant metaphor exists in the secondary romance. The lower-rank character’s desperate attempts to "pass" as a higher rank serve as a universal reference for marginalized people—whether they are LGBTQ+ individuals in repressive societies or people of color in racist systems. It highlights the psychological and physical toll of a system that demands conformity for social survival.

This struggle is literalized through the brief, yet telling, inclusion of "ABO toilets." For an American viewer, they are a surreal and disturbing reminder of our own country’s current obsession with public restrooms. The policing of these spaces in the show mirrors the real-world attacks on transgender citizens, who, like the characters in the series, embody a direct threat to and an undermining of traditional hegemonic masculinity.

Written and directed by a female-led team, the series acts as a visceral condemnation of labor exploitation and the rigid social engineering that defines the fragility of "Alpha" status. The "domestic stability" found at the end is only achieved by completely dismantling traditional power dynamics. The two dominant male characters are forced to "grow up" and broaden their acceptance of others, proving that true dominance comes from intelligence and strategy, not CCP-mandated artificial masculinity.

ABO Desire is far from perfect—it is dense, messy, and requires a rewatch to truly grasp—but it is brave and essential. It proves that even a "fantasy" genre can be used as a razor-sharp tool to attack the foundations of patriarchy and social hierarchy.

Read More