Reviews

TL;DR ... what is happening?

Am I the only one who put this on and then proceeded to not catch a thing even when I was giving it my undivided attention? MaxNat has def improved their acting skills, but the writing??? HUH? The timeskips/flashbacks/flash forwards??????/alternate universe cuts were *all* jarring and (I think this was meant to be artistic?) out of order,/misplaced and/or repetitive... I'll save you the watch time: MaxTul gets steamy in two different fonts with random mafia drama in between. Like why are we even still friends with Pupha????? The first reality Pupha we barely got to know, but with these very convenient laws of the universer we can assume his personality and values are shared with New-Pupha... And New-Pupha sucks. (So does everyone else, but he was really hate-able for me, and I am a proud second ML-stan.)

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Story goes nowhere

It starts off strong. But sadly ends up lost and the story plot gets forgotten. Even the well done NC scene die down half way and turn into cut scenes. I speed watched the last two EPS just to finish it. Even the story on his father falls so flat. Sad to see. I think the actors deserved so much better then the script they got. At least the acting was good. I hope in the future they pick up more interesting scripts and less ring around fluff scenes just to add minutes to the show. 1 star. not worth time on, unless you want some hot NC scenes, but only for the first half.

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Stunning Story, Writing, Acting, and Drama

Absolutely stunning story. Everything was genuinely incredible. I had worries due to how long it was, and since it's an older show, the production value would be lower, but this was a masterpiece. From the acting to the characters and writing, every person who worked on this should be praised.

Zhen Huan by herself catapulted this drama to a 9/10. She's such a complex, beautiful character who lost so much to get to where she ended. No other drama like this gave me a character I felt so viscerally connected to. Sun Li's performance was one of the best I've watched. Her eyes and microexpressions were all one would need to sense exactly how she's feeling.

Even the morally grey characters were so human, they felt so real, and the acting for every single part was phenomenal. The writing was also some of the best I've ever experienced. From just a minute interaction, you can learn so much about a character's intentions, likes, dislikes, and so much more. I've never seen it so masterfully incorporated into dialogue and writing.

Easy 10/10 if you're thinking about starting it, but you're a bit overwhelmed, just try the first couple of episodes. You'll find yourself finishing it in a week, as I did. I'm so excited to rewatch this show to learn so much more.

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Amazing combination of actors, story and cinematography

I haven't given a perfect score for a drama in a long time until Pursuit of Jade comes along. The story is nothing special, which I believe have been done in various dramas here and there, but the execution is excellent. I have to give kudos for the director and casting director. All actors and actresses seemed made for the role and they acted very well. The chemistry between Zhang Ling He and Tian Xi Wei is through the roof! I am now officially a fan of Zhang Ling He - I'm already a fan of Tian Xi Wei from New Life Begins. The cinematography is excellent, pace is just right and plot is easy enough to follow. The best part is, there's a lot of funny moments and all looks natural. I am a long time watcher of c-drama and now found new fans of cdrama in my community because of Pursuit of Jade LoL.

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From the creator and director of Fangs of Fortune and My Journey to You

Here we have another masterpiece that exists in the creative realm as these major dramas! They have mood, intense dynamics between characters, gorgeous colours, sets and shots and intricate story. And they are written to terrorize your heart. Viel of Shadows is not coming up short so far in comparison.

The first thing that has stood out to me, which has captured me when these other two dramas couldn't - is this fun type of energy that exists in the story. Within the first four episodes, the characters themselves and the interactions between them and the story has me excited, engaged, smiling and laughing and totally energized. Yet now by episode 13, I also have been deeply moved and heart wrenched and anxious wondering what will happen.

The characters have stand out strong personalities and with each episode more facets are shown. By episode 8 you start to see you may not really know them as the deep mysteries they keep shroud their truest selves. And then with each episode we see little bits more and more of their hearts.

I am just loving this drama and so excited with each episode!!! It is phenomenal so far. I am blown away by the acting. I think the drama was perfectly cast. They are truly embodying their characters. The main cast are vibing off each other and you can feel it when they are together.

I think the costumes and the sets, the wide shots (scenery), the mood pallet is just stunning - everything feels vibrant and magical, dark and mysterious yet somehow produces a lightness of the innocence of the hope of goodness in the world.

Tian Jia Rui has been criticized for being ugly and this just makes me so sad. He is adorable and a fantastic actor. please do not put him or this drama down because not everybody looks like Zheng Linghe. Handsomeness has many faces.

I will be back to share more as I watch the drama!

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The best of the best!

If this is your first Chinese drama, I pity you. It's because your standards will be very hard to reach, Anyways, my rating is purely based on my own standards. In this way, I can confidently say that the story is really great. The first half of the drama is really rewatchable the latter however should have been done better. I adore their life in Lin'an maybe that's the reason why I don't want to watch the political side at the end. The acting was superb! I already watched almost all of ZLH's dramas, I am proud to say that he really showcased his micro-expressions well here. And gosh! He is so handsome here. Thanks to the director and the camera man. He is already handsome but the angles did him justice. TXW is such a wonderful actress and so cute! I mean, she acted so well! I haven't watch her dramas yet so I am not able to assess her. But based on what I saw, she is very good. The OSTs were so good, too!

If the writer, director, cameramen, the actors and actresses can read this, I beg you all to make more dramas with the same casts!

THANK YOU! <3

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From Clashing to a True Partnership

My Boss can be a bit tropey and even a little frustrating at times, but if you stick with it, the character growth is actually rewarding. It’s less about a typical "mean boss" and more about two people learning how to actually respect and support each other as equals.

What I Enjoyed:

Heng’s Transformation: He starts off as your typical "rockstar" lawyer—brilliant but pretty arrogant and emotionally stunted. Watching him slowly realize he doesn't have all the answers was the best part. He goes from "butting in" and being overbearing to someone who is actually humble enough to admit when he’s wrong. It’s a huge change, and he becomes a much better partner because of it.

Yao’s Confidence: I loved watching Yao find her footing. She struggles with a lot of insecurity and "imposter syndrome" early on, but she grows so much backbone. She doesn't just "shrink" to fit into Heng’s world; she earns her spot at the table and eventually shows him that her way of doing things (with more heart and empathy) is just as valid as his cold logic.

The Takeaway:

The show is a great look at what happens when two high-achievers stop competing and start collaborating. They both had to do a lot of work to get there—there’s plenty of "growing pains" and communication mishaps—but seeing them finally get on the same page is so satisfying.

The Verdict: It’s a solid watch if you enjoy seeing a relationship where both people actually have to change and grow to make it work. It’s not a perfect journey, but the "win-win" ending makes the frustrating moments worth it!

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Please support Netjj and Lattekim

This series is so interesting so far!! I love any kind of time travel/reincarnation and period drama so this is right up my alley.

The first episode was really funny and gave us a fun introduction to Nakhun and his friends! Nakhun is so unlucky and clumsy it’s comical. I think we all would have a similar reaction as he did waking up in an unknown place where everyone calls you by a different name. JJ is absolutely killing it in this role! I’ve become such a fan of him. Net was so breathtaking and he acted extremely well!

The second episode is definitely my favorite so far! I loved that we got a little bit of backstory on Klao and the others. It was so cute seeing little Phop be protective of Klao! Also can we talk about the yearning Phop was doing this episode?? He wants Klao back to normal so much it breaks my heart. :(

I can’t wait to see what future episodes bring!! I’m so excited to see more of this story. Please please support this show and all of the actors! They’ve worked so hard and they deserve to see it pay off!! <3

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Psychological/political thrilled with significant "film noir" overtones.

UPDATE after Ep. 10: Final Rating is 9⭐ By the end it was no longer a "thriller" but rather a psychotic roller-coaster - but definitely still "film noir" overtones.

If you are a fan of classic Hollywood movies, then (1) see my comments at the bottom about the film posters for the movies "Sunset Boulevard" and "Vertigo". They both deal with obsessive people driven to near-madness. (2) For a long time, I was afraid that the drama would end in the same manner of the obsessive/psychotic couples in "War of the Roses" or "Double Indemnity" [Spoiler: they all died] Thankfully, the Climax writer didn't choose the easy out. Although pathological ambition drove every decision and choice they made, both survived to the end. I should note, that Bang Tae-seop and Chu Sang-ah were not a "romantic" couple, but I found the end satisfactory as they both acknowledged they need each other for support.

Overall Positives: Actors: were raw and mesmerizing. I had never watched anything with Ju Ji-hoon or Ha Ji-won before and I was blown away with how they communicated with their body language just as much as the words. If you binge through without noticing all of the subtleties of their performance, you will miss the highlight (for me) of the drama. The Script: A series of plots/counter-plots and then plots-that-went-nowhere. Although we understood the characters' motivations, it was hard to keep track of the impact of certain choices and blackmail items raised in the first few episodes seemed to be forgotten in the later episodes.

The Cons: There were many - too many - scenes of debasing/humiliating activity that were included for their shock value as much as anything else. Supposedly they demonstrated the desperate lengths people go to in their obsessive drive but IMHO, an A+ writer would be more creative in crafting ethical decisions/tension rather than ick factor. Second negative is that the drama lacked continuity. Just one example: Jeong-won lived in an apartment with multiple fish tanks and they were always there. . . . until they weren't as she was preparing to leave. I didn't really listen to what she said - I wondered what happened to the fish! There were a lot of "what happened to. . . " and "WTF" instances that detracted from the overall tension.

I really enjoyed the drama - the characters, interesting location filming, the roller-coaster of plot/counter-plot. I was very happy with the last episode and how the main couple was able to survive. If not for those ick factor scenes, I would have given this 10⭐
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[Original interim review after Ep. 6]
Psychological/political thriller is not my usual genre but lately I’ve become tired of rom-coms that follow the same rather unimaginative formula. Climax is anything but unimaginative or formulaic. I’m writing this review after watching Episode 6 (out of 10) and will update each week if anything significantly impacts my overall attitude about the drama.

First, let’s make something clear: the plot involves “The fierce survival drama of prosecutor Bang Tae-seop, who jumped into the cartel of power to stand at the top of South Korea, and those around him." Bang Tae-seop, the choices he makes and the consequences drive the plot.

Like any good mystery, Climax unpeels the onion, episode by episode. And yet, as of Ep. 6, I feel that there are still critical facts that the writer/director has kept hidden from the viewer until the end. That doesn’t bother me IF – Big IF – the viewer learns that they were not outright lied to. I don’t mind if the viewer sees 50% of an event and jumps to conclusions about who actually murdered someone. But failure to include vital information will never be forgiven.

UPDATE after Episode 8: Unfortunately, the drama has descended into one "shock" scene after another with no real character development. Sometimes characters seem to do introspection and then Surprise! it was fake. Climax is still a roller coaster and I am looking forward to watching to the end (at which point I will update again) but except for the "everyone is desperately greedy for power, money, control and will do anything to obtain it", there really isn't much to this drama. I'm still crossing fingers that the end will be satisfactory (as in, the really, really bad, evil people get destroyed) but at this point, those really bad, evil people are mere props with little or no explanation of HOW they became this irredeemable.

One of the things I love most about the drama is the inclusion of two very prominent movie posters from classic Hollywood movies. First, “Sunset Boulevard”, the story of an aging silent film star who is desperate for a comeback – similar to Bang Tae-seop's wife Chu Sang-ah’s desperation to claim her top star status. And second, Alfred Hitchcock’s brilliant “Vertigo” – a movie about a man obsessed with a woman he was unable to protect – Bang Tae-seop’s story as he tries to protect a wife who does not love him. Do the movie posters foreshadow the end of “Climax”?? I don't think so - but they explain the psychological undertones of this “film noir” drama. Whether the writer is able to stick the landing remains to be seen, but thus far, I’m on board.

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I've already read the novel and the series exceed beyond expectations! I love it so much! I'm not really a fan of historical dramas (or any series 😆 at all) but this one got me anticipate every single episode. The production, the cinematography, the ost, and most especially the cast is giving 😌💯 It's still on episode 2 and I can't wait for the next episodes! Also there's a lot to take in episode 2 as well! Especially where it transitioned to a chaotic funny scene to Phop and Nakhun just basking in the quietness of the night, to breathe, to think and especially to feel companionship with each other despite Phop still being skeptic about Nakhun who he thought is Klao and Khun still being unsure of everything that happened ever since he came back to the past. I love it sooooo much! Susu na jaaa~ NETJJ and LatteKim 🤗🫶🏻

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This series is a merry-go-round

First off, I didn't really pay attention to the music; it was nothing special.

When I say the series is a merry-go-round, I mean it. This plot goes in circles. We start out with our main character, Keen, facing a lot of personal turmoil and money problems because his father borrowed money from a loan shark, Than is used to solve those money problems. Immediately after that problem is solved, someone else has money problems with a different loan shark. How is this problem solved? With Than and everyone else at the gym fighting in a tournament. This happening twice already felt very repetitive, and I looked at episode summaries, and sure enough, it was going to happen again, so I dropped the show.

Do I think the show is bad? No. I've watched way worse. The thing is, I've finished those shows because they weren't as time-consuming as this one. If these episodes had been shorter, around 40-50 minutes, I probably would have continued. I was already watching it at 2X speed. But no, all but one of the episodes I watched was over an hour. One was almost an hour and a half long! That it too long to sit in an episode, even if I hadn't been bored with the plot.

I couldn't even get into the relationships because both of them just fell together with no real buildup. They weren't together, and then they were so fast that I had to pause and try to figure out where in the hell the attraction started because there was no tension and only a couple of "moments" that hinted at them liking each other. From the moment Keen and Than got together, it also got very physical, between them and the second couple's NC scenes. It became repetitive, and they became moments that I only half paid attention to. Than also pays off Keen's debt after barely knowing him for a few weeks, which felt very unrealistic. Ait and Win will probably have problems down the road because it seems like Ait was doing something shady for his "boss" (probably a loan shark if I had to guess), but I wasn't interested enough to continue the series just for that.

I didn't care enough about the characters or the plot enough to continue the series. The show was missing a strong antagonist that our characters could work to overcome. Instead, we are thrown from one person causing a problem to another with no link between them, which made it feel like the plot had no clear direction or goal.

The actors overall did an alright job, I don't really have any complaints. They did what they could, given that the characters they were playing had no real depth.

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Not for me but you decide for yourself

I wasn't impressed by the show.
I thought acting was stiff and only surface level.
I thought the story was underwhelming. And that wasn't the word I thought of when I first heard news of this drama. I saw potential. I think a story about the emotional rollercoaster of a virtual reality romance sounds great. But this show landed flat.
Half of the show was our female lead contemplating her 'dating' habits, both inside and outside the game, which slowed pace down enourmously. During these moments of low energy, low activity, I lost focus and zoned out of the show. What's worse? I never saw the need to go back and catch what I might've missed.
If the show wanted to be more drama and romance, there wasn't depth to the story to amplify that.
If the show wanted to be more comedy and fun, well, that was lacking almost the entire time.

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