Reviews

The best series of the year.

After The Untamed, i think this drama is gonna be my all time favorite. The storyline is so refreshing to watch and the actors (Eric and Ben) are so good in their characters that it really feels like they are the real sheng wang and jiang tian. This drama proved that it really don't need to have intimate scenes or anything to portrait the pure love and affection of two people. Each and every episode left beautiful yet painful marks on my heart. Really wishing for its second season because it is the story which really have to end and doesn't go in vain, like it's necessary and must to know what future holds for them. Really invested in the second season. At last i would say the actors are so amazing like its so refreshing to watch them. The very last episode really left me in hurtful situation. Hopefully we'll see them again, until then I'll cry and be depressed.

Read More

More Like, Always Let Me Go

If I had a nickel for every time these two lead broke up and got back together in the name of love… I’d own a goddamn bank! We get it, you are in love, with a hero complex. Enough already!

Listen, based on the rating of some of the reviews here, I didn’t want to waste my time with this drama, cuz I thought it was going to be worse than that one drama where the lead was secretly collecting the rubbish of the male lead. But then I wanted to procrastinate instead of doing the dishes, and decided to put this on. And, I was presently surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Really, it was a good one. Which makes me wonder if PondPhuwin had been progressing backwards?

What happened to them? I felt none of the vibe I felt with them in this drama while watching We Are. Shouldn’t their chemistry had been better with time or… I’m glad I decided to watch this drama so I could see them at their peak.

My first drama with them was We Are, and that series was not it. Their acting was nothing, and their chemistry was on the floor. Really, I have nothing good to say about my first impression of them, unless to say, at one point I seriously thought they were afraid of each other’s lips. But this show was good. Sure it was messy, but they had a plot and they followed it, and I liked the general vibe between the two leads.

What I liked
- The Music in this was epic!!
- I actually liked PondPhuwin’s chemistry in this. Their acting could use work, but I was okay with how they each played their roles.
- Those hawaii shirts made me laugh. Each time, I was like, why? not sure if I liked it or not, but I laughed so…
- I repeat the music in this show was amazing!!
- The special our sky 2 episodes, don’t care what no one says, I enjoyed it.
- The plot was flawed, I'm sure it had as many holes as a basket, but even with all it’s flaws, I liked it.
- Chopper
- How Palm didn't seem to have any ill-wishes towards his mother. He went straight to calling her 'Mother'. He's better than me, cuz my grudge holding arse would have straight up went, 'Ma'am and/or Auntie.'

What had me going huh?
- Constantly leaving each other to protect the other. We get it, you love the other so much, now stop it, it’s getting old.
- When Nueng talk down to Palm and then we are suppose to forgive him because somehow it was justify. That scene at the dance party made me wanna shake him.
- How Nueng never have any bodyguards with him? Sure, there was Palm, but even when Palm wasn’t around, dude was doing stuff alone. Like, child, peoples are trying to kill your arse!
- The Uncle being sooo obvious as the villain. Literally, his expression was bad guy coded, and at one point he was even walking side ways with a villain tilt of his head. Also, how people in movies/series never notice when someone acting suspicious??
- Palm’s father: Telling his son to give up his life and future for a debt his bum arse owned, was rubbish. Also, why did Nueng’s mother think the guy who worked on a fishing boat would be a good bodyguard? cuz he played basketball?
- Palm’s mother not even knowing what he looked like was wild. Poor boy.
- No matter how I tried, I could not vibe with Ben… don’t know why, he didn’t even do anything that awful.

Anyway, there were a lot more I liked and some things I didn’t, but imma leave it here. If you haven’t watched this show, and some of the reviews are throwing you off, ignore them, this drama isn’t perfect, it has it flaws, but I enjoyed it a lot, so I’ll recommend it.

I hope we’d get more dramas like this from Pond & Phuwin in the future.

Read More

A good story, but…

liked the story, but it lacked the ghost-hunting element.
When this series first came out, I wasn't really interested in it, but one evening I gave in to temptation. I really got hooked on the first three episodes. We're shown ghost hunts, and I thought they were well done. But then, goodbye ghost hunting... sure, we still see ghosts thanks to the family (who are actually ghosts) but otherwise we don't see them anymore. I think that's a shame.
Otherwise, I liked the relationship between Kevin and Pluem. They have great chemistry (I'm a fan of their hand games).
Like most, I also really liked Kevin's family.
Also, I was a bit disappointed by the last episode, I won't say more, bus it's really something I don't like in dramas.

Read More

Check the tags!!!!!!

I think this was a recommendation from Anne. I've just finished watching it. I should have seen the tags beforehand though. It got really uncomfortable at several points. So, do check the tags before going in folks.

Now, let's come to the story, acting and direction part.
Story is ok, typical Sokor fighting crime movie. I liked as it somehow tried to spread some awareness but would have liked it more if they had delved a little deeper into the mission.
Acting is good, from everyone. The movie is a little short to actually go for some character depth, so it lacked in that department. But that's ok.
Direction is average. Saying this because I've seen better action choreography and Korean movies excells in it.
Overall, it's a 7.5 for me. This can't be placed into a 'light watch' nor 'heavy watch'. And that's the dilemma for me.

Now, I don't want to comment on Sokor law enforcement. If I start, I will probably lose track of time. But if a police-law-prison system can't break/rectify a criminal within sentenced period of prison time, that's just total failure. And there should be only one punishment for child sex offenders, hanged till death. I can't comprehend how such a heinous criminal gets 20 years of prison time and still comes out as such trash. Total failure of prison system.

Read More

Ambitious in its intent but fell flat in the writing

To be honestly, when I first saw this drama I had high hopes because I really like deep slice of life and the premise sounds intriguing too. When I saw that the drama was made by the same person who did Silent, I realised I had to lower my expectations because I didn’t really enjoy the latter. First episode was not great as it was unnecessarily slow and draggy, a problem that plagued Silent. It picks up afterward when it goes deep into issues like death, grieve, abortion, parenting responsibilities. But the series just went absolute downhill after the episode where Natsu met his father. Every episode seems like it’s about how much they can make Natsu suffer when he is the most patient and kind character I’ve seen. Realistically, if I were in his shoe, I would have flip.

While the intention of the drama is admirable because it really tries hard to go into the aforementioned issues, its writing did not deliver. The biggest problem is Mizuki as a character. The entire series revolve around her and how because she died, her words become a life manual to everyone on how they should live. She is written as someone who believes in having options to live your life, but her words are dictating and influencing how everyone should live. And that’s problematic, because while her option to keep her child and not tell Natsu is celebrated as pro choice, it also portrays her as selfish because she is thinking about what makes her happy for her or what is right for her but without thinking the impact on others. To me, being pro-choice is a good thing, but it’s not a one-sided thing that it’s always good as there is the selfish element that the drama did not address. So, I feel that there is a propagandistic narrative (being pushy about this concept of pro choice) that the drama is trying to convey without the needed nuance to the conversation.

In the end when the writer tries to salvage Mizuki’s selfish actions by showing her letter to Natsu just isn’t convincing to me because her actions are clearly selfish but they make it sounds like she has Natsu’s intention at heart. No, she is imposing what she hopes Natsu would be and not actually giving him much choices which she claims she is. To me, her character is written as a master gaslighter especially to viewers.

Besides the flawed writing, everyone’s performance were great. Ren’s acting have surely improved but he still needs help in emotional scenes, a similar problem I had when he acted in Silent. I wasn’t convinced of his breakup scene because it felt forced. But I heard from social media that he really had trouble getting into the emotions for this and felt bad for him. I guess it’s still good that he is aware and can’t wait for his next show which hopefully, he would be better. Music is the best element in the show, love the melancholic soundtrack and also the back number song is a bop, which I don’t usually say it in my reviews.

Read More

Story + acting + chemistry = 10/10

We'll start with Han So Hee, she's amazing in this role and she might be the best female action star in Korea. I felt her emotions throughout the 7 episodes, her acting has improved drastically.

Park Seo Joon, he's one of my favorite male actors. His range of acting was on display, action, romance, a dash of comedy.

Their chemistry was amazing. The writing wasn't too complex and it made sense once the whole story was revealed. It was a roller coaster of emotions with an intriguing story.

Highly recommend if you enjoy action with a side of romance. 10/10

Read More

A tale of hatred and obsession wrapped in love.

Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Plot Summary:
This is a story built around the intense emotions of love and hate. It beautifully portrays how "love" never allows distance, while "hate" never lets closeness prevail.

Characters:

Yue Jin Chen:
A boy who seems to have everything but is left with nothing. I found his character captivating, and the actor who portrayed him did a remarkable job. His emotional conflict was gripping and left a strong impact throughout the series.

Gu Jun Yao:
A girl whose world shattered with the destruction of her clan. She returns as a martial artist, seeking revenge after many years. However, her character was a bit of a letdown. Despite her background, she continuously made impulsive decisions and failed in every fight, relying on Yue Jin Chen to save her time and again. This inconsistency in her portrayal weakened the storyline.

What I Liked:
The concept of "love and hate" driving the plot was intriguing. Yue Jin Chen's character and his emotional journey were the highlight for me. The two standout moments in the series were especially heart-wrenching and impactful:
1. The scene where the "wing is cut", leaving a lasting emotional scar.
2. The chilling nightmare with the line, "I will do it very gently." Both moments hit hard and left a lasting impression.

What Could Have Been Better:
While the core concept was strong, the narrative and character arcs were not as well executed. When a character's background is established, it should be reflected consistently in their actions. Unfortunately, the characters often contradicted their backstories, lessening the emotional impact. Repetition of the scene was not a good idea its weaken the impact.

Gu Jun Yao, in particular, should have been portrayed as a stronger, more competent fighter given her quest for revenge. Yet, she came across as reckless and overly reliant on the hero. Additionally, the plot's political intrigue was underdeveloped. Despite so much planning and plotting, none of the key figures—kings, ministers—seemed to be aware or involved, making them feel invisible. This lack of engagement from powerful characters left the story feeling incomplete.

The political tension could have been more thrilling if the series had explored the rivalry between the two sides with more complexity, showing them outmaneuvering each other at different points. This would have added depth and excitement to the plot.

Final Thoughts:
Overall, the series was enjoyable if you're watching for the push and pull of love and hate. Although it had some narrative weaknesses and missed opportunities with certain characters, it delivered moments of emotional intensity that made it worth watching. If you're in the mood for a story that tugs at the heartstrings with its themes of pain and passion, this is worth a try.

Read More

How to lose lifelong friends?

Lie and cheat!

I love messed up characters! And here I was served well and in abundance!

The plot is complicated: three lifelong friends, two men and a woman, meet only occasionally now that they are adults. One man confesses to the other one but is rejected because he does not want to ruin their friendship. On the rebound, the first man accepts the woman's confession. But it does not work. The men end hooking up eventually. The friendship is ruined. The first guy's ex appears and breaks them up.

I watched the cut version and again, it was confirmed to me that in order to follow a story, NC scenes are not necessary. I can get a hint: the heads get closer, lips touch and the next scene is them cuddling in bed....it is up to me to fill in the blanks and it is pretty much obvious!

The production is very, very low budget: sets are limited, colours are pale and cold, there are no extras. But the soundtrack is exceptional: there are some beautiful songs there!

The plot is too much for such a short drama and the second part in particular needed more time to develop. The ex seems like a real psycho only to be shown as cute and end up a coward: too much of an inconsistent character.

Moreover, the subs are not that good so I failed to comprehend what the ex tried to achieve with his last antic: posting a fake story accusing himself of being under influence. I think....

Read More

Detailed Rewatch Review

Rewatched my first BL to write a proper review 4 years after its release... I feel like I didn't watch it properly enough to appreciate it during covid era.

1. Story (7/10)
LIKES
FighterTutor:
The hardship they had to go through made their relationship feel even deeper, how they showed their love and care for each other. The process on how they went from enemies to lovers was great, the pacing of each character's expressions was just right. How their confusion and desire for each other was portrayed amazingly with the story. The issue they had with Fighter's dad added a whole new level to their story. The build-up done for their first kiss was just *muah*. I appreciate there not being any stupid misunderstanding that could've been avoided easily, they were mature with each other. My rating for this category is honestly, heavily carried by FighterTutor's story. If the series was only about FighterTutor, I'd rate the story an (8.5/10)

SaifahZon:
The other main couple that's the complete opposite with their relationship filled with mostly fluff. I absolutely adore Zon's awareness of him being in a novel and his comicalness. The beginning episodes portrayed their cute tension together as they're stuck in those situations are very adorable. This couple is perfect for people who like simple yet cute dynamics, their gentleness with each other is so soft. They were able to execute cliche scene with Zol's novel, pure entertainment from a student's fan fiction, which made it funny and not cringe at all.

Others:
1. The guest roles of TharnType and Make it Right's couples were a very creative way to show how their world had changed to a novel story
2. How Zon's parents had a confusing attitude to him was a good way to show how when you're in a novel, the side characters will strangely support whatever is related to your lover (In reference to them allowing Zon play music with Saifah but not writing fictions even though both doesn't contribute to his GPA)
3. Tongta and Tutor's sibling relationship is very precious, scripted well

DISLIKES
FighterTutor:
It wasn't shown enough why exactly Fighter liked Tutor in the first place, why did their first meeting during orientation make Fighter develop slight feelings for him? Trolling him was cute in Fighter's eyes but not to Tutor apparently. Fighter did Hwa wrong and it wasn't emphasized enough, even Zee said himself his character wasn't a good person XD. Tutor being Hwa's best friend acted out-of-character taking part in the relationship knowing he cares for her. I didn't like how FT's relationship when they were enemies were mostly harassment done by Fighter. He cornered him when it was night time at campus, hugged him when preparing Hwa's cake, and kissed him during Hwa's party. Even though, those unwanted moments by Tutor made him realize his feelings, it's unethical. Their relationship was mostly physical, it was almost like only lust, sometimes too much around the last episodes. The issue with Fighter's dad successfully proved it wrong though. During this issue, their tension wasn't shown enough since Tutor's sick scene made me almost forget that they weren't on good terms.

SaifahZon:
Even though they're supposed to be equal to the other main couple, they felt like a side couple during the later episodes which I can understand due to covid issues as they mentioned. My question is even if there were no disruptions, what story and plot would've been added that would contribute in their relationship growth? With FT's deeper story, it made them stand out way more. How SZ initially got close was due to the cute boy fan club with Soda and Luktan which his friends and the seniors totally forced on poor Zon. Imagine having to show affection to the guy who doesn't feel guilty about your ex cheating with him. And remember that time Zon had to take Saifah's towel in the locker room and he cornered Zon, attempted to flash him?! Poor Zon was so scared he hid inside one of the stalls. Another time was when Zon was sleeping before their rehearsal the music show on the couch, and Saifah literally kissed him. This is not a cute act and shouldn't have been portrayed as one. Their accidental first kiss during their fight was a bit crazy, I wanted to excuse this scene with Zol's novel but that was before she even started writing. During the last episode, their emotional bed scene together felt a bit off. The whole time their relationship was based on simplicity, so their deep emotions then made it feel off.

JapanTanthai:
Their affection was so unexpected that it felt like Tanthai was using Japan to get into the soccer team. Absolutely no reason for them to start liking each other, for some reason they already enjoy close-proximity presence.

DewBlue:
I thought Dew had a split personality from attempting to hit Blue, to helping him practice soccer. Literally the only reason why he didn't hit him was because Champ stopped him at the exact time. If Dew wanted to soften up to Blue, it wasn't portrayed enough. How was Blue not visibly afraid of him? ChampBlue literally feels better since Champ is a green flag who can take care of Dew's youth well.

DayHwa:
Day attempted to take advantage of her when she was drunk during her party, the only reason why they didn't kiss was because Hwa looked away. Not only during here, but also right after when Fighter broke up with Hwa. He knew she was in a vulnerable position in need of a lover who would support and care for her, as the third-party he took still part in the mutual kiss. I don't even know if Hwa likes Day for him or because he was able to utilize her heartbreak at the right time. Also, Hwa forgave Tutor was too easily. He was a part of her heartbreak, even though it probably wouldn't have worked out without him anyway.

Zol:
A university student, 18 years old, but writing romance fan fictions of real-life people actively hating on each other and publishing it online. Not only she didn't ask for their permissions (excluding Blue for some reason), she lied to Zon about deleting his name from her fiction. It's okay for a bad character to exist in a story, but it was downplayed as an okay thing that I don't like.

Others:
1. Tutor's past for being rich could've been emphasized better, it was random and easily forgotten
2. There were some cringe scenes, but it was backed by the idea that they were in a novel
3. Zen was.... just there. Not sure what this character was for. Did not contribute much to any plots, or entertainment

2. Acting/Cast (8.5)
LIKES
ZeeSaint:
Easily the best acted couple in this series. I want to appreciate Saint's ability to express various emotions in a very natural way playing a character who shows his emotions. How he portrays Tutor's discomfort and tension with Fighter is absolutely my favorite part of his character, heavy on the tension during their first mutual kiss while studying and the emotional scene at the campus during night time when Tutor said no one understood him. One of my favorite acting showcase scene would be when Fighter begged Tutor to tell him why he ghosted him at his condo. I never thought I'd ever see Zee's character weeping like that, it was a very emotional scene and both actors did great. Another natural scene from this couple was at the last episode, when Tutor admitted to being possessive after Fighter took off his shirt at the beach. It was absolutely adorable. ZeeSaint's chemistry in WHY R U the series is just perfect, the way they look at each other, and their affection. There are not enough words to comment on their bed scenes, it is not awkward at all and I want to applaud them for delivering such scenes.

JimmyTommy:
I absolutely adore Tommy's portrayal of a comical and jumpy character in a romance novel. His devastated, confused, and scared expressions were very entertaining and funny to see. Jimmy's portrayal of a more nonchalant character was nice, he fits playing a character who likes to tease. JimmyTommy/Mii2 is awesome for bromance or platonic relationships regarding their chemistry. However, I'd like to make their kiss scene at the last episode an exception. A bit shocking to see how they kissed after getting a fluff and simple impression of them.

ParkSeng:
Even though I'm not a fan of their plot together, I can't deny that they have a decent chemistry. They weren't given much to work with, but I wonder how they could've been if otherwise. Park could portray feeling flustered from having a junior being physically close to him, and Seng's eyes were glued to him well.

Others:
1. Max can act angry well, Nat also portrayed a cute younger character well
2. Perth (Zol) can naturally smile real good during her fangirling moments, it's a bit contagious
3. Cheer (Tongta) was only in the show for a bit, but her acting and delivery was on point! Such a pro
3. Poppy (Junior) is a memorable side character who can express wittiness very well with his voice, body movements, and face
4. Tonnam (Natee) acts as a funny and expressive character like a pro
5. Janistar (Hwa) acted her breakup scene with Fighter really well, specifically the heavy breathing

DISLIKES:
ZeeSaint:
When Fighter forced himself to Tutor's condo and Tutor himself, it was kind of awkward. It was too gentle for an assault, not sure if it's supposed to be this way signaling that maybe Tutor didn't try resisting and Fighter didn't want to be aggressive. Then, I know Fighter is supposed to be a colder character who isn't expressive to just anyone. But during the emotional scene when Fighter confronted Tutor at campus resulting in Fighter apologizing if he made him uncomfortable, his expressions were too bland. His lover was crying right in front of him yet he didn't express enough.

JimmyTommy:
Even though they're an equal main couple, it'd be better if they were a side couple in this series. I love it when they utilize their existing chemistry to act on playful moments and flirting, but maybe not deeper situations. Tommy seemed a bit awkward during happy/cute scenes, and Jimmy's facial expressions can be improved more. Their kiss scene at the last episode lacked a bit off a natural physical proximity. I can't help but compare it to ZeeSaint's scenes, but it's not a fair comparison to be honest. If I'm not wrong, either the director or acting coach mentioned how most actors here lacked experience except for Saint.

MaxNat:
Not a fan of their chemistry here, maybe their plot together also affected my opinion on their chemistry. They were fine individually as their own characters, but I don't see a 'them' from this series itself at all.

3. Music (9.5/10)
LIKES
This series has A LOT of OSTs, around 10. Not only they have many OSTs, but many BGMs were also provided. The BGMs weren't only modified melodies of their OSTs, but actual totally different ones. You know when you notice that a show keeps reusing the same songs for specific scenes? WHY R U doesn't noticeably do that. They don't only serve quantity, but also quality. I love how the 2 main couples have their own 'anthems', where it's:
How Many Reasons Make Me Love You? by Pantherist for SaifahZon, and
Is This Love? by Tom Isara for FighterTutor

DISLIKES
The only thing I hope could've been done was allocating the OSTs throughout the series better. Some of them were played way more than the others that I couldn't recognize some of the songs when trying to listen to it.

4. Rewatch Value (4.5/10)
Since this is review is based on a rewatch, that says something about it. But I doubt I'll rewatch this show again, I was just feeling nostalgic. This show attempted to make almost every character end up with someone, this made the show feel forced at those parts. But if you remove scenes that don't necessarily add anything to the plot like the side characters who are almost completely unrelated to the main plot, I'd rewatch it. However, I wouldn't judge a show based on its rewatch value. Some shows are simply more fit to be rewatched by me (short stories, or mystery thriller genre).

4 years ago, I was still new to the BL world and preferred a more gentle couple like SaifahZon. I guess now I like couples with a deeper visible bond together, my heart is now on FighterTutor. Overall, If the only couple here was FighterTutor there's a high chance I'd rate this series a 9.5/10 .I really miss ZeeSaint together as well as JimmyTommy.

Read More

The second season is really good

Just finished season 2, first thing i wanna say is that PSJ's acting peaked in this show, there were many scenes where i was saying to myself that no other kdrama actor can match his skills and talent of acting, I can say Devil works hard but PSJ works harder What an amazing actor he is

Now come to the storyline, The show has engaging storyline and also the action scenes were topnotch, But it ended with a tease of separation, i really wanted them (ML & FL) to be together at the end but they left us with the possibility of third season and didn't bring back the couple together completely, But i am happy that both ML and FL survived at the end, It was neither sad nor a happy ending, Maybe we have to wait for another season to see them together happily.

Read More