Reviews

Interesting story with good acting and chemistry, but writing could have been better

Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75

Taiwan usually produces some pretty quality BLs, especially when the cast is experienced and not full of young idol newbies. With that, I was looking forward to watching “Love Upon a Shooting Start”, especially when I don’t know anything about the plot.

A few quick bullet points of what I like about the drama:

1. I am a fan of second-chance romance and I enjoy the flashbacks of the teenage years. I think the drama did a pretty good job in going back-and-forth with the two different timelines.

2. I adore the two teenagers and really enjoy their storylines. This is Chen Yen Hsv’s (young He Xiang Yong) first drama and I think he did admirably. But Max Kuo, being the more experienced of the two, really does shine here. Max is only 17 and has so much potential! He is very good-looking, and his ‘fake’ smile doesn’t look too fake and really does fit the personality of everyone’s favorite classmate.

3. The leads, Jed Chung and Chu Meng Hsuan, performed very well as well. They have great chemistry together as a couple, but I also enjoy their individual stories and hardships.

4. I love that the setting is on a rural island and not in the big city. The scenery and cinematography are nice. The shots of the sea and underwater really bring out the summer feel of this drama.

5. I love, love, love how tan all the boys are. After consuming so many white filters, white foundation and white smoothing of the skin, it’s refreshing to see a drama set in the summer with boys all dark and tanned. It would be super fake if they appear white while running around the island under the sun all day long.

6. NC scenes and kisses. Well, be prepared when you watch ep 8. That was one of the most sensual and sexual intimate scenes I’ve seen. I just wish they tone down on the music and give me some more natural sounds of desire and passion.


What I have mixed feelings and don’t quite like:

1. I am not feeling the secondary romance. It’s supposed to contrast the more slow-burn and angsty main romance, yet I found it somewhat cheesy and over-the-top. The reasons for Hamaguchi’s obsession are too shallow and I don’t see why he’s so in love with Li Wan Zhe.

2. I was expecting a more serious or dramatic reason for the fallout between the main leads during their high school years. But then I found it, it wasn’t really that bad and a quick conversation would have resolved it. However, I do understand when you are teenagers, all problems are amplified and it would seem like a big deal to them.

3. He Xiang Yong’s artwork left a lot to be desired. I am not sure if it deserves the constant praise from Chen Hao Wei. LOL

4. I would have liked to see a few more happy couple scenes before the ‘consequence’ of the wish to start so soon.

5. The drama didn’t explain the what/how/why of the fantasy element very well. Why is XiXi special? In the end, I think I understand the moral of the story and the lesson that He Xiang Yong learned. But what about Li Wan Zhe? Why dragged him into this when his story got wrapped up so half-heartedly?

6. So what exactly did He Xiang Yong do wrong at work? What about Chen Hao Wei’s panic attacks and work problems? Did I doze off while watching and miss the closures of these few areas?


There are lots to like about this drama, even though I think the writing could have been better. I do enjoy the acting, chemistry of the leads (young and old), the rural setting and nice cinematography. This could be a refreshing change, compared to other BLs out there.

*edit* After giving it some more thought and chatting with my friend.... there are many plot holes and unfinished business. I still like the drama in general, but it could have been so much better with longer or more episodes to cover everyone's stories. The last episode might have given me kisses and cute scenes, but not the closure I was looking for.

Completed: 6/4/2026 Review #691

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janhae vs comphet and they both lose

alternatively: janhae's steak is so juicy she's drowning in it

obviously it's pretty ridiculous that some corny, nepo loser who makes na/jan constantly feel like she has to put on a performance is somehow competitive with a smokeshow whole package like leemai/jingjing who na can be herself around. more herself than she's ever been allowed to be before in fact. but that's the point. she's caught between what she thought she wanted and what she never thought she'd want but really, really does. but it's all too much, too fast, and it culminates in a legendary crash out.

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My Comfort Drama Has a Gaming Addiction

📝 Review
(WARNING: Potential Spoilers — I’m Not Saving You from Any Emotional Damage)

Going into this, I already knew I enjoyed e-sports dramas. What I didn't expect was how quickly this one would become one of my favorites.

The story follows Tong Yao as she becomes the first female player on a top professional team and quickly spirals into tournament pressure, online criticism, team drama, and romance.

The FL is skilled, determined, and easy to root for, while the ML balances cold professionalism with surprisingly sweet moments, creating one of the better romance dynamics in gaming dramas.

The supporting cast and side chaos carry a huge portion of the show's charm, adding humor, friendship, and found-family energy to the story.

These types of dramas tend to live or die based on team chemistry, and this one absolutely succeeds.

By the middle of the series, I was fully invested in every tournament, every rivalry, and every ridiculous team interaction.

The way they incorporate viewers into the gameplay sequences was surprisingly effective. Instead of simply watching matches, it often feels like you're inside the game alongside the players, which makes the competition much more engaging.

The romance progression is also paced well. It doesn't drag endlessly, but it doesn't rush either. The relationship develops naturally through trust, teamwork, and shared experiences.

That said, I do have two complaints.

First: Tong Yao's hairstyle.

For thirty-one episodes, somebody apparently declared war on variety. She's a professional woman in her twenties, and yet the styling often leaned heavily into the childlike aesthetic Chinese dramas love giving female leads.

Second: there isn't a Season 2.

My brain: wanted more tournaments.

My emotions: wanted more ZGDX.

My snacks: disappeared sometime around the championship matches.

In the end, I finished feeling completely satisfied and still wanting more.

And somehow… it worked.

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The Gateway Drug to My Drama Addiction

📝 Review
(WARNING: Potential Spoilers — I’m Not Saving You from Any Emotional Damage)

This drama holds a special place for me because it was my very first Asian drama.

The gateway drug.

The beginning of the rabbit hole.

At the time, I watched it dubbed because subtitles and I weren't friends yet. Fast forward to now, and I can't even watch English-language shows without subtitles, which feels like a full-circle character arc.

The story follows Day as she enters a televised competition designed to pair women with some of the rarest men in society, but quickly evolves into something larger than simple romance.

The premise is undeniably goofy.

Men are treated like national treasures.

The dating competition is basically a national event.

The entire world operates on logic that makes you stop and go, "Wait... what?"

And yet somehow it works.

The satire underneath the comedy gives the story more substance than I expected, and the conspiracy elements help keep things moving whenever the romance slows down.

The cast does a solid job balancing the show's quirky tone. Nobody takes the material too seriously, which is exactly the right approach for a concept like this.

What surprised me most was how entertaining it remained throughout its short run. Six episodes feels just right. The story doesn't overstay its welcome and moves at a brisk pace.

Looking back now, after watching countless dramas from Thailand, South Korea, China, Taiwan, and Japan, I can see some of the show's flaws more clearly.

The acting isn't groundbreaking.

The soundtrack didn't leave much of an impression.

The world-building occasionally asks you to just roll with it.

But as a first drama?

It was a fantastic introduction.

It opened the door to an entire genre of storytelling I probably would've ignored otherwise.

And for that alone, it'll always earn a little extra affection from me.

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The drama is good but nothing out of the ordinary

First of all, I have to say this. I began watching this drama because of the actors, and I think they did a good job with the material they had. I'm not criticizing the actors or the needless things they've been criticized for in this drama. My criticism is purely from a story perspective.
Honestly, this drama was really good until the wedding. But after the wedding, it was so predictable. Like, I knew the prime minister was going to go bad, typical 2nd lead syndrome (ugh). Also, it has to be my 4th or 5th drama where they get rid of the monarchy. It’s become so predictable. And it was so damn stupid why it was abolished. Like, if you are going to abolish the monarchy, give a good reason, like in ‘The Last Empress.' You make us hate the monarchy. I knew how this was going to end since ep 9, and it went exactly as I predicted. Plus, what's up with the main leads? You had us teasing till ep 8 and then no proper romance. So rushed, and the ending was so mellowed out. This drama kind of let me down.
I can see why people are complaining about the actors' acting, but I think they did a good job. The characters were like that in the script, so they had to behave like that. No comments in the acting dept. Set and costumes were well done.
All in all, this is a drama you can watch while doing something and not paying much attention. Believe me, you don’t want to invest that much time and attention in this drama.

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True Love Amidst Societal Pressure

I saw this one in the span of two days. It is bingable and only has 10 episodes. In this BL, Ji Hyeon and Jae Won fall in love at different stages and ages at college. Ji Hyeon is a country-bumpkin freshman, and Jae Won is a senior who has finished military service. Despite societal expectation and pressures, and Jae Won's past trauma, they become each other's true love. The name of the show is relevant to the story in that there is this sense that goes beyond the 5 senses that tells us who and what to choose in life. This sense is instinctual. Here's a breakdown of the pros and cons!

Pros:
-The pacing and unconventional way they framed certain scenes shows regard for the production, it wasn’t haphazard
-The acting was stellar, by everyone, including the side characters.
-The intimacy scenes were well-done. They looked like they were actually falling in love and kissing.
-The lighting felt romantic at times and the tone of the drama is sentimental, which I liked.
-The music matched the scenes and I really liked when they used the Conan Gray song.

Cons:
-In the 2nd half Jae Won still felt like he hadn't found his peace. Adding more scenes could have helped with this. Or him being honest with his therapist could have also helped.
-While I love angst the tone could feel depressing after a while. Again, more scenes with a tonal shift could have helped with this.
-They redeemed two antagonists that I did not feel deserved redemption, after the gravity of what they did.

Overall, I loved the show and wish there were a 2nd season so that Ji Hyeon and Jae Won's relationship could be delved into deeper.

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um clichê que funciona muito bem

Um romance clichê bem executado nunca é demais, ainda mais quando falamos sobre relações lgbt. Esse bl japonês, mesmo que tenha um enredo simples, consegue uma boa pontuação em todos os seus aspectos. A atuação é muito boa, os atores cumprem suas funções e mantém o estilo japonês de forma que não fica cansativo nem vergonhoso de se assistir, a fotografia é bonita e alterna muito bem nas cenas que são necessários os tons frios ou quentes e a história é um básico que funciona muito bem, um romance adolescente entre dois colegas que se gostam genuinamente e optam por se conhecerem melhor. Obra muito boa, pretendo rever!

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história muito criativa que te deixa querendo ver cada vez mais

sou uma pessoa que dificilmente consegue ficar presa em episódios de séries sem se entediar. além disso, quando começo um drama novo, involuntariamente, foco muito na parte do romance, pelo menos quando se trata de bls. mas esse aqui conseguiu me prender de forma que eu tinha que ver um capítulo após o outro e o enredo romântico acabou totalmente ofuscado pela criatividade do roteiro, a história é muito cativante e as atuações somam muito na boa experiência. me surpreendi bastante com o conjunto total da obra e como ela aborda a cultura tailandesa de forma tão interessante.

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What we have here, is a failure to communicate*

Pushing Hands was director Ang Lee’s first full length film. It was also the first in what critics have affectionately termed the “Father Knows Best” trilogy. Lee’s first three films (unrelated) focused on conflicts between modern children and their traditional fathers, all three films starred Lung Sihung as a father in the middle of familial tension. While entertaining, I found this film to be the weakest of the three.

The Chu family household has been set on edge ever since Alex’s seventy-year-old father moved into their home a month prior. Chu senior speaks no English and Alex’s wife, Martha, speaks no Mandarin. The young grandson, Jeremy, has been taking Chinese lessons after school and understands some of what his grandfather says. The wife and father-in-law are basically in a cold war. Mr Chu’s very presence disturbs Martha so much that she has developed writer’s block and has been unable to progress on her second book. One need not speak English to understand her irritated body language and hostile words. Alex ends up listening to both of their complaints at the dinner table, often at the same time, with English in one ear and Mandarin in the other. Mr. Chu is a tai chi master and teaches a class at the local continuing education facility while his grandson takes his Chinese class and Alex plays basketball. One evening, the Chinese cooking teacher, Mrs. Chen, purposefully moves her class into his large room in order to meet the older gentleman. Both discover that they are living in difficult family situations that are heading to a boil.

I struggled with the core conflict of this film with the open hostility Martha showed Mr. Chu. She mentioned that Alex barely spoke of his father for seven years and then “Boom! One month ago, this shows up on our doorstep.” Alex told his father it was his plan all along for him to come live with them. It sounds like he never brought that up with Martha. This is the type of conversation that needed to happen as the father’s arrival would have required some planning and cooperation. Martha’s work space could have been modified for more privacy and she could have taken evening classes with her son to better be able to speak with her FIL. Alex bringing his father over and hoping for the best left his father feeling alienated and his wife feeling resentful.

The film focused on a variety of gaps-language, cultural, generational, and modern vs traditional values. Mr. Chu might have been home and with family but it did not feel like home. Alex had videotaped Taiwanese movies for his father to watch, most of which he was uninterested in. Only the Chinese Opera appealed to him which decidedly did nothing for Martha’s frayed nerves. Mrs. Chen gave Mr. Chu someone he could relate to which both exasperated children used to try and manipulate to their advantage. The older people felt useless and isolated, unwanted in their children’s homes. In a land of material wealth, there was no room for them. As with his other father films, Ang Lee managed to salvage relationships even if they were still damaged. Parents and children grudgingly learned to adapt and find a way to balance their expectations and bonds. And there were those who learned the hard way to not mess with a seventy-year-old tai chi master. Not one of Ang Lee’s strongest films but still quite watchable.

4 June 2026
*Headline note: Quote from Cool Hand Luke
Golden note: 1991 Golden Horse Best Actor Award for Lung Sihung and Best Actress Award for Lai Wang. The acting for these two was significantly stronger than much of the rest of the cast.
Paternal Note: The three Ang Lee “Father Knows Best” films: Pushing Hands, The Wedding Banquet, and Eat Drink Man Woman.

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An eerie dark alley and a light shop which might lead you home

The opening episodes of are genuinely unsettling. For a while, I was convinced I was watching a full-blown horror series and wonder whether I could endure it to the end as I was watching it late at night by myself.

Almost every scene is drenched in an eerie sense of dread. The story revolves around a narrow, dimly lit alley that seems trapped in perpetual night. At the very end stands a strangely bright light shop, its warm glow the only source of comfort in an otherwise oppressive darkness. The shop is run by a handsome but enigmatic owner whose presence raises more questions than answers.

As different characters pass through the alley, the atmosphere becomes increasingly disturbing.

There is a woman trapped inside a haunted house along the alley she cannot escape from, wandering its rooms like a prisoner in a nightmare.

A teenage boy desperately tries to leave the alley, only to find himself returning to the same spot over and over again, as though reality itself is bending around him. When he finally suffers a horrific injury that twists his leg into an unnatural position, the scene becomes even more disturbing.

A mysterious woman endlessly drags a large suitcase through the darkness. What is inside it? The drama keeps you wondering, and fearing, the answer.

A detective pursues a man with unsettling cat-like eyes who seems more creature than human.

A teenage girl repeatedly returns to buy light bulbs for her mother, despite the growing sense that something is terribly wrong.

And then there is a man who picks up a young woman at a bus stop, despite having no idea who she is or why she keeps appearing in his life.

The strangest part is that nobody seems to question the alley itself. Why must they keep walking through this terrifying place? Why not take another route? Why does dawn never come? Why does the darkness feel so alive? Why do all these strange people from different walks of life gather in this alley?

The deeper the story goes, the more you realise that the alley is not merely a location. It is a place that exists between answers and questions, life and death, memory and oblivion. The light shop itself seems to serve a purpose that only the truly dead understand, while the living stumble through it in confusion.

What makes the drama so effective is that it relies less on jump scares and more on an overwhelming sense of unease. Every character feels haunted. Every encounter feels wrong. Every shadow seems to conceal a secret waiting to emerge.

With only eight episodes, the mystery unfolds quickly, and before long you begin to uncover the truth behind the alley, the light shop, and the strange souls who wander through its endless night.

If you enjoy eerie mysteries filled with ghostly encounters, unsettling imagery, and a creeping sense of dread that lingers long after the episode ends, this drama is well worth watching.

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A Refreshing Feel-Good Drama

I love this show because it shows how opposites sometimes attract and how people with really high intelligence navigate falling in love. This drama is also really good at showing that relationships won’t go anywhere without communication and understanding of one another.
I also love how this show has strong side characters, like their parents — both of the main leads’ parents were so funny! It was nice to watch a drama where both leads actually have good parents.
This drama is perfect when you don’t want anything heavy. You can laugh and enjoy the sweet moments. It’s a little cringe in a few areas, but I found the show absolutely adorable.
Though if you’re not into more laid-back dramas that focus on a nerd figuring out how to show love, this probably won’t be for you. I however loved it! didn't really enjoyed the side couple they were okay, there relationship was a bit rushed . Though I did love how they learned how to be there for each other.
I also did get a little annoyed with how the main couple would not communicate — especially when the FL would shut down and not tell the ML anything (and vice versa). But again, this show realistically shows how relationships aren’t perfect. They’re messy and kind of awkward, especially when your parents are forcing you to live together and making things weird… though that part was so funny!!!

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