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Phenomenal plottwist !
I found the concept of this K-drama very interesting, although it did remind me a bit of Squid Game. That said, the plot twist was phenomenal, and the actors delivered outstanding performances. The drama also had just the right length and number of episodes, so it never felt boring or dragged out. However, I did find the ending somewhat unrealistic, and the character of the student who attempted suicide was a bit confusing to me. Despite that, it was still a great drama overall.Was this review helpful to you?
One of the best k-dramas of all time !
This K-drama holds a very special place in my heart because it reminds me of a wonderful time in my life. I’ve watched it three times already, and it was the show that sparked my love for mystery and thriller genres. The series has a very distinct mood and a truly unique atmosphere. Looking back, the plot twist might seem quite obvious, but I didn’t figure it out the first time—and honestly, that’s what really matters. I found both the plot and the overall concept of this drama phenomenal. It’s also one of the very few dramas where I actually paid attention to the OST and even listened to it in my free time.Was this review helpful to you?
Sweet and Comforting Like a Piece of Rich Chocolate
Romantics Anonymous was short, warm, and filled with gentle lessons. The ML and FL were afflicted with psychological issues. He suffered from OCD, fear of germs, and an inability to touch or be touched by others. The FL had an intense anxiety disorder which kept her isolated from most people.The Good:
• I liked that the drama didn't throw a switch to "cure" everyone. People with mental issues are rarely healed instantly; it can take years or be a lifetime endeavor. It was gratifying to see our ML and FL learn how to cope and live more successfully even while struggling with their afflictions.
• The last episode made my heart glow. I'm talking about the scene after the competition, not the bizarre last couple of minutes.
• Chocolate. It played a nice supporting role. The visuals were mouth-watering.
• No evil villains, although there was an overbearing CEO and the mandatory relative trying to take over the company. As that's a requirement of every business in drama, and this was rather tame, I overlooked it.
The Bad:
• The second couple's story didn't resonate. It needed more development. Or less. I don't quite understand the need for a back-up couple in every drama, but if they were going to intrude, their story needed to be fleshed out.
• What the heck was that ending? Yamaguchi Kentaro and Song Joong Ki in a cameo? It didn't belong. I guess Vincenzo conquered Italy and South Korea and wanted to add Japan to his territory. Totally ruined the good feelings the drama had going and ended on a "Netflix has too much money and not enough good ideas" vibe. Cameos should be inserted earlier in a way that doesn't negatively impact the story. I didn't mind Song Joong Ki's cameo in The Queen of Tears, but this one was bizarrely random.
• Once the couple confessed, there wasn't any dating or day-to-day interactions. Saranghae, and that's the end, practically.
I awarded an extra half star for the supportive message of accepting others where they are in their life's journey and trying to help them overcome the rough spots in life we all experience.
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Very cute show
I watched all 9 episodes all night and honestly, it gives you such warm fuzziness with two opposites (hot and cold lol). I thought it was funny with the other two lads who are colleagues of the couple (can't remember their names 😑) and just act pure daft at times. I really enjoyed our couple like the kisses were adorable and the romance was just sweet. Only minor misunderstanding tho but overall, it was all cute. We even got a well known anime voice actor here which is a plus <3.Was this review helpful to you?
Good Enough for a Sequel
I’d like to start this review by saying that my expectations were low. It wasn't caused specifically by this drama, but because second seasons (especially with long waiting period) have been a mess lately. If I had to describe this season in a few words, it would be muscle over poetry. The writing is much more fast-paced compared to the first season, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, it becomes an issue when you can’t emotionally connect with the characters (especially new ones), which happened to me. Thankfully, that aspect of the story is saved by the skillful acting. Regardless of how this season performs, it raises some red flags for me heading into (the possible) season three.Was this review helpful to you?
Adaptation so bad the creator calls it "Garbage"
I’m not a horror fan in fact, I usually avoid jump scares but I was drawn to this story because it approaches horror from a unique angle. It’s disappointed to see what they did to the source material. Even the creator, Uketsu, reportedly dismissed the film with a single word: “Gomi” (Garbage).What started as a viral YouTube video and evolved into a successful novel and manga has been completely squandered. Uketsu goal was to create "horror for people who don't like horror," focusing on psychological unease rather than cheap thrills. Having watched the original videos and read the manga, I was genuinely captivated by Amemiya and Kurihara deductions. The mystery behind those strange floor plans was supposed to be unsettling because of its logic.
The movie should have been a slow-burn. A slower pace would have allowed the audience's own imagination to build the tension. Instead, while watching this adaptation, I found myself questioning if this was even Hen na Ie (The Floor Plan) at all. It felt more like a bizarre, misplaced version of Gannibal.
To make matters worse, the ending was left wide open, clearly baiting a sequel. It’s honestly frustrating. I feel truly sorry for Uketsu; he crafted such a brilliant, atmospheric story, only to see it dismantled like this.
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A show that really delivered whats promised +Intelligent & cunning FL!
STRONG FEMALE CHARACTER!! Ahh hell yess!To everyone who recommended this to me? may your hands never sweat during a handshake, may you never bump your elbows into sharp corners.
💖"I love him. I'd give everything for him if he wins I'll be there beside him if he loses I'll fall with him." 💖
My fav part of this story was Manman and it will always remain so, because the way she used her intellect for the survival of her family, or the people- it really showed that women of that time whose only power came from beauty and their wit which they used to subtly manipulate things in their favour- It just amazing.
Also the enemies to lovers with her being the enemy's daughter was real and I loved how Wei shou's conflict about his feelings towards her was shown- and the chemistry was absolutely decadent.
I loved the casting, acting and the visual detail that went into the show because the setting was gorgeous, the camera language changed according to the main characters emotions, the darkly gothic scenes during their enemies stage, the soft tone as they fall for each other was gorgeous. I love everything sm!!
Love the side characters so much, also the antagonists were not dumb at ALL. (A Rarity that makes this show epic!!)
One of the best historical dramas I've watched!
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Rushed ending I would say
This review will contain spoilers about the plot, important plot twists and the ending itself.My hot take is Qi yunke never actually cared or loved pingshu.
I would say the build up was great, the man in black mystery thing was also great, but I always have guessed it would be qi yunke, so the plot twist wasn't surprising to m. It may just be because I have seen and read too many plots. But I think it was still surprising twist for most of the viewers(?). Anyway my problem isn't abt the identity of man in blackbut rather how it was handled in the end. It was actually quite ANTICLIMACTIC in a way. He did so many evil things, basically also killed innocent people yet.... All was diluted down under the name of "REVENGE". Honestly Yin Dai(the guy qi yunke hated, plus who did so many evil things plus pushing cai pingshu to fight alone) even Yin Dai wasn't as bad as Qi yunke. In a way Yin Dai, never used his daughters for Ziwei cultivation. But Qi yunke did. His character is actually rlly selfish and only cared for revenge but rlly it wasn't even revenge cai pingshu need cuz he just go against everything that Pingshu was trying to accomplish. Qi yunke never actually cared for Zhao Zhao, nor yuzhi nor his wife and especially lingbo. I hated lingbo character so much at first but her character development was solid. Qi yunke did THAT MANY EVIL DEEDS, yet.... He just died.....easily like that.... And his ashes were even buried under blossom trees right next to pingshu. Like I don't think he deserved that.
Again, going back to the point I said abt how Qi yunke never cared nor loved pingshu. He did all those evil deed under the name of REVENGE FOR PINGSHU but rlly it was all FOR HIMSELF. Pingshu herself said she never regretted going to fight alone. Pingshu cared about people so much that even if she knew Nie hengchemg was dying in 3 yrs, she went and killed him anyway. All she wanted was a peaceful jiangh. She never would wish for ANYONE to kill for her, esp the ones she cared abt, her friends. Pingshu also deeply cared for Zhao Zhao and wished zhao zhao to just live peacefully and not actually enter jianghu. This part pisses me off so bad. Qi yunke knew that and he even said in earlier episodes when cai zhao asked,"if it were my aunt, will she sit back and watch " to which qi yunke replied with," No, she wouldn't but she wish you would"
So, he did knew pingshu wanted cai zhao to live peacefully. Yet he schemed so that yuzhi get nether aura and need jade sunflower,which cai zhao help him find it and also show beast's saliva.
HE GOES AGAINST everything that Pingshu fought for and people that pingshu cared for and pingshu's morals and beliefs. Qi yunke basically became second Nie Hengcheng, I would argue worse than Nie hengcheng, for him at least he is outright evil but qi yunke till the end he was A DAMN HYPOCRITE, like the kind he hated so much.
in conclusion, loving or caring someone isn't just doing what YOU THINK would be good for them. But actually understanding that person, what that person cares for, her values, beliefs morals etc and supporting them.
Qi yunke's so called care, love, revenge alll came from a place of selfishness but HE NEVER TRULY UNDERSTOOD HER. I may be wrong but it's implied heavily that qi yunke also had romantic feelings for her(although he seems to deny it? When his wife asked him before she was killed by him)
I would say that kinda person who actually never underuher, did opposite of everything she fought for, hurting her loved ones, DOESN'T DESERVE TPFOR HIS ASHED TO BE BURIED IN SAME PLACE AS PINGSHU'S
True love and care look like cai zhao's. She cared and loved her aunt. Fought for things that pingshu would too and stand up for. That's what actual care and love is
Qi yunke is just selfish and doesn't deserve to even use pingshu's name or whatever as pity point.
I can't empathize or sympathize more nor anything with qi yunke.
"Evil Demonic sect demonic sect" and most evil beings are all from six sects.
Maybe it's just me but I also feel that Qi yunke's motivation for killing like that was not strong enough. Like all ofr his aunt? Yea he deeply cared etc but something felt lacking.
The acting was superb, mu qingyan(zhou yiran) character was really complex and honestly I hated him for some of his behaviors. For eg, forcing cai zhao to choose between her family and him. But despite all that, his live, borderline obsession with her was rlly satisfying to watch. I don't like how he keeps using her in a way but still it added spice to the story I guess. I love morally gray characters lol.
Zhou yiran's acting was rlly great. He honestly suits these more than modern dramas. This role depicted his ability to act so well and it's such a good step in his acting career.
Love yi ran💕
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Seasons Come And Go, But I Will Never Change...
This drama started off pretty promising. A unique premise for kdramas, missed communication, a central conflict capable of in depth character depth and exploration but everything falls short by the midway point where new plot points keep adding with seemingly no resolution and a completely rushed ending with a whole lot of loose ends.Haran being stuck in eternal winter and Seonu Chan becoming her savior, a fated return of a favor neither saw coming when Haran's boyfriend first told Seonu Chan to message Haran on his behalf and the domino of events that set forth in their lives.
While the story does justice to this thread, the core problem in the theme is that there is no growth in any of the characters beyond simply being dependent on each other even in the end.
The ending being rushed was expected considering how long they dragged the central misunderstanding. It's really frustrating when this happens to an otherwise solid show. In fact they dragged it for so long I frankly stopped caring about what happened at that lab explosion one way or another or what happened to any of these characters except Hayeong and Mr COO who kept my interest but they ended up not even getting enough screentime in the end. It felt like a waste of my time sitting with this show for weeks by the end.
The teen couple (that was in my opinion the most unnecessary and annoying part of this show, no disrespect intended) got way more scenes that felt unnecessary considering their relationship was already established in like ep 1 and it felt like they were only dragging it on for eons just for the sake of an arc. Their overdone aegyo and sickeningly sweet scenes felt like filler with no substance, and the snoozeworthy cardboard cutout green flag gf and bf model made it even more unbearable to watch considering there really was no story left there to explore but they still ended up getting so many scenes!! I murdered my spacebar anytime those two made an appearance, again no disrespect intended. An exploration of unique teenage experiences of first love for example was a possibility with them but their story stays purely surface level.
On the other hand if at least some of that screentime went to the angsty couple of the year with Hayeong and Mr COO, I feel like at least their arc could've been wrapped up way better and would've felt more sincere and complete. That's what frustrated me more than anything else. All that build up over 12 episodes of barely there crumbs for the most anti climactic confession and relationship...both Hayeong and Mr COO deserved way better. A spin off is not likely to happen but I will be waiting regardless like many others who feel the exact same way...
From a narrative perpective, the story sets up expectations for well written complex characters in the beginning but none of these character arcs especially with the Song sisters is complete or even addressed by the end.
Haran learning to heal on her own? Nah, she's still waiting around for a man to come save her day from her boy troubles by ep 12 with no regard to the consequences of her avoidant behavior on her family. No change in that. Hayeong learning to not be everybody's personal therapist and emotional regulator while everyone keeps neglecting her own needs? Nah, nothing changed there either. Hadam learning to live with the grief of not knowing her parents before they left her? Literally isn't even explored 🤦♀️ Instead, they keep feeding more unnecessary bits with her teen bf who has the personality of a simulated green flag robot. Dont even get me started on the golden retriever on steroids aka the ML who had massive scope for in depth character writing. While I liked the complexities in making him make stupid decisions to protect Haran only to end up hurting both of them, Chae Jong Hyeop being a fabulous actor is honestly the only reason Seonu Chan had some redeeming aspects.
Lee Sung Kyung on the other hand was completely stiff and one note for most of the show which was surprising considering I loved her performance in Call It Love (which was also a much more superior show in all aspects). Here on the other hand, there are emotional scenes where she's simply standing there with a blank expression, and it's almost comical to witness the contrast between what Chae Jong Hyeop is giving vs Lee Sung Kyung's robotic reactions. There is a scene in the first half where Haran breaks down in front of her grandma telling her "I know I am weird but this is the only way I know how to live" and that performance alone encompasses LSK's true ability and what I thought I was getting for the rest of the show but it all falls short, plot, pace as well as performance in the latter half of the show.
I want to give points for a happy ending but...
*sigh* Clearly this show was meant to be at least 16 episodes because just what is this disappointing travesty...
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Flawless
I watched the show and came away with a really positive impression overall. The first thing that stands out is the pacing—it feels smooth and well thought out, never dragging or rushing through important moments. They clearly put effort into structuring the content in a way that keeps viewers engaged from beginning to end. There’s a natural flow that makes it easy to follow along, even if you’re not already familiar with the topic.Visually, the video is appealing. The quality is clear, and the framing helps emphasize the main points without unnecessary distractions. Whether it’s the lighting, camera angles, or editing choices, everything feels intentional and polished. The transitions between scenes are especially well done, adding a professional touch without feeling overdone.
The audio is another strong point. It’s crisp and easy to understand, which is crucial for maintaining attention. Background sounds or music, if present, complement the main content rather than overpowering it. This balance helps create an immersive viewing experience.
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Skeptical at start, obsessed by end
Beginning looked a bit tacky and I almost dropped it bc of that, but there was something compelling in the story that made me stay to check. And oh boy am I happy I did. It took like 5 seconds to completely win me over.Main leads were amazing, separately and together. Their love story is grand and mature, full of well planned trials.
Their individual stories are also amazing and heartbreaking. The way they stood by each other was only right after what fate dealt to them.
But my favorite part was sister and her journey. Not bc I liked her but bc it was the most crazy story. Maybe only her ending wasn't right, little brother should've stayed in power, while she died from her wound or lived the rest of her life in seclusion instead. That would have been more fitting. But besides that her story was the most crazy, and out there, and I just couldn't get enough. Her and the emperor and bastard prince were the most toxic and entertaining love triangle I've seen so far.
All arcs in this drama were emotionally deep and heartbreaking, actors gave great performances, giving justice to the script.
It's hard to complete 38 episodes without a single mistake, so there are few small flaws here and there, like visuals being overly edited, giving this fake feeling, or knife stabs being fatal for enemies but never hitting vital organs for good guys. Plot armor was ridiculously strong here 😅
But I couldn't care less since I got to have this experience, I'm eternally grateful to everyone who worked on it.
I'd love to watch 10 more episodes, filled with even more drama, betrayal, maybe some battlefield, and the one last love trial of our fated hearts. The only thing missing was some proper diabolical plan of bastard prince to get FL back, and some dramatic confrontation that would sated for my need for confrontation between this trio.
What a shame that great things have to end somewhere 💔🫶
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Sweet, Clumsy and cozy
I would say this drama is better viewed as a slice of life, business themed drama WITH romance as the story doesn't solely revolve around the romance but that doesn't diminish its performance in the slightest.The lead's chemistry is nice and sweet, though the whole aspect that their disorders were nulled with each other 'just because' felt more fantasy than logical, I could very much brush it aside to enjoy their practicing scenes 🤭
In conclusion, if you have a phobia of looking people in the eye it makes complete sense that Oguri Shun's face is the cure.
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Inspiring and awesome!
I watched it not knowing what to expect. I ended up not wanting to miss any parts and knowledge. I liked to watch their teamwork and how they tackle the challenges in the Antarctica regarding cooking and even other aspects but at the same time watch how researchers are working hard for our environment. It was just also nice seeing everyone work together easily and smoothly.The show was really touching and inspiring. Everything was great but especially like the ending. It makes me imagine how the crews are feeling after that memorable trip in Antarctica.
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