Reviews

Strong Concept, Weak Execution - More Comedy Than Horror

I went into Kong Tao with relatively high expectations as the trailer was genuinely well done and created a strong sense of anticipation. Unfortunately, the actual film did not fully deliver on that build-up.
As a horror-thriller, the film lacks suspense. Many parts of the storyline felt predictable, and the character development is quite weak. Several supporting characters come across as redundant, with little contribution to the overall narrative, making it harder to stay emotionally invested.
In terms of horror elements, there were barely any impactful moments. The only noticeable jumpscare was when the Kong Tao apprentice used a skull to scare Wei En (Yumi Wong), but even that scene felt underwhelming - her scream was more shocking than the scare itself. Overall, the film leans towards a comedic thriller rather than a true horror experience.
With that said, one aspect I found interesting was how the film showcased Kong Tao practices. With some prior knowledge, it was engaging to see both the simpler forms (such as physical manifestations like maggots) and more complex rituals that only experienced masters could perform. This added some cultural and conceptual depth, even if the execution lacked intensity.
There were also moments of realism that stood out, particularly the travel sequence from Malaysia to Thailand. The timing and setting felt accurate, especially considering real-life routes like the Bukit Kayu Hitam-Sadao checkpoint towards southern Thailand.
The most captivating scene in the entire film was when the monks (Luang Phor) gathered before the Buddha statues, chanting protective mantras such as 'Na Mo Put Ta Ya', Itipiso Paed Tidt' and 'Katha Chinabanchorn' to counter the dark forces. This scene carried a stronger atmosphere compared to the rest of the film and felt more grounded in spiritual authenticity.
Overall, Kong Tao presents an interesting concept rooted in black magic and regional beliefs, but falls short in delivering tension and depth. It may still be enjoyable for viewers curious about Kong Tao practices, but those expecting a strong horror-thriller experience might find it lacking. This is strictly a personal opinion coming from a Thai Buddhist and someone with a background in filmmaking.

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a smart scammer with many enemies

The drama showcased really good acting by both the leads in particular SHS. It is a psychological mystery drama but its also not very intense. Its more of showing her process of how she gained the fame she currently has through extremely calculated steps. This process involves multiple twists and turns and even if she does anything illegal the police are binded cause they have 0 evidence against her.

The story is okay but as I am writing this review few weeks after I finished watching it, it hits me that there wasnt anything memorable about it. It does not leave a lasting impact but while watching the 8 episodes its still a decent watch!

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Still soft

Season 2 was a comforting return to a dynamic I already loved. The chemistry between the leads is still there, easy, natural, and enjoyable to watch, and that’s what kept me engaged the whole time. I liked seeing their relationship continue, with more moments of closeness and quiet understanding.
At the same time, this season felt a bit lighter in impact compared to the first. It didn’t add as much depth or development as I was hoping for, and some parts felt a little repetitive. Still, it’s one of those shows that’s easy to watch and easy to like. Not groundbreaking, but definitely enjoyable if you’re already attached to the characters.

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Artistical take on BL

I just finished the 5-ep version in a binge. Not sure how I feel, since there are conflicting parts, I liked the story, because it's different from the average BL drama, I do have some pointers though. Some crucial scenes and backstory are missing, a lot of the conversation is missing and I would have liked a more satisfying ending.
AsI understand it, this is a book adaptation. I wonder if the book has blank pages, since that's how long some of the silences last. This is not the first Thai series where this happens, so I guess it is a style, but I hate it with a vengeance, It distracts and almost makes me double the playback speed, I suspect it is to make it look more artsy?
I still have many questions. What happens to Jed and Bible now? What happens to the doctor? Why is the doctors twin in prison? Why does this twin dislike Bible so much? Does Bible really have a wife and kid? And more.
I wonder how this series would have turned out with a bigger budget and a better ending,

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Nice and soothing show!

Gimbap and Onigiri served as a really cozy and down-to-earth series, which fitted me very well since I’ve been watching a lot of fantasy recently. While it was no mind-blowing story, I still enjoyed it and it was soothing.

Gimbap and Onigiri made me have something to look forward too on Mondays and I was very pleased to be able to come home and watch an episode of Gimbap and Onigiri. I also need to say that I feel like the duration of each episode was perfect!

I, unlike many other watchers, actually enjoyed the last episode. While Rin and Taiga came as a shocker, seeing how the characters developed and seemed to do what they wanted to was really welcomed.

Junho grew on me a lot and while it of course was difficult for him, he accepted that Rin wasn’t romantically interested in him, and then treated Rin and Taiga really well as a couple. Sad to see that he couldn’t end up with Noa, I shipped them.

Could have been better:

In Halo!!! I need it on streaming services right now, it’s to good to not be released! Begging for aespa to release it, maybe on a Japanese album later on at least?

THE MISCOMMUNICATATION ANNOYED SO MUCH! We for real couldn’t go an episode without being pissed of by how the leads always misunderstood each other or talked about how their love maybe wouldn’t work. While I do understand the problem it often felt a bit too much.

Akinori was a very annoying character to me and I am happy that Noa finally decided to break up with him. It was nice that he still was in contact with his hyungnim and gave back the money that he shamefully asked to borrow.

Favorite character: Noa
Best episodes: Episode 1 & 8

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A wonderfully purple mess that had a lot going for it

I had such high expectations and I was fully ready for this to climb straight into my all-time favorites list…so when I tell you no one is more disappointed that I dropped it than me, I mean it. I think the combination of a lot of the things I'll mention contributed to my overall subpar experience with the drama. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't all bad which is why my score isn't LOW low. But it was disappointing enough FOR ME that I have to rant about it a little bit.

I actually took notes while watching, so this is basically me revisiting my own descent into disappointment.

Firstly, the overall look and directing. I’m sorry but… why does everything look so fake? The budget wasn't even that low so why does everything look like it was made out of styrofoam and the paint job done yesterday? The color palette is aggressively whimsical to the point where it feels like I’m watching a low-budget live-action Disney remake. And the aesthetic choices?? The bright moon palace with those weird, almost LSD trip looking floors that somehow extend into the entire decor… that was certainly a choice. Not a good one, but a choice nonetheless. Idk it felt like the aesthetics were targeting a very young age demographic. I also do support the show having a purple theme but the use of the color was not done very well which only made the production look cheap in my opinion.

The directing didn’t help either. There’s this constant wind effect making everything flow dramatically, except it just ends up looking awkward and distracting. Add to that some very questionable editing and scene transitions, and it genuinely feels like I’m watching a drama filmed in 2020 with outdated, slightly corny camera work. The frustrating part is that with better scene selection and tighter direction, this could have been elevated so much!!

Now, the cast and characters.

Ao Ruipeng? He looks great. He really fits the anti-hero vibe to a T. his angular features work perfectly for a morally grey character, and also… he looks fantastic in blue and purple. No notes there, I enjoyed every second he was on screen. His acting was great and I'm so happy he's getting lead roles. His makeup was also really nice and fit his face very very well.

Bai Lu though… something about the makeup felt off for me. She is such a beautiful actress but the makeup looked weirdly heavy on her and it kept distracting me. Character-wise, I do appreciate that she’s not written as completely clueless, she makes rational decisions and actually uses critical thinking (a rare win). But at the same time, the plot armor is already doing the most. So whenever she does make a decision the payoff feels unearned because the plot armor did most of the heavy lifting. We’re supposed to believe she’s human at this stage (to our knowledge), yet she’s surviving things that absolutely should not be survivable (the volcano?? be serious). I get that it’s early on, but still.

Her dynamic with the second male lead also didn’t land for me at all. These are supposed to be people with deep history, someone she saw as family, as a brother, and yet their interactions feel cold to the point of disconnect. I understand the anger over being lied to, but the hostility feels off, and their scenes end up being more disappointing than emotionally impactful. Their dynamic felt like a missed opportunity.

As for the main couple… I don’t know, I’m just not feeling it. The romantic tension isn’t there, even though the male lead’s little helper kept hinting at his feelings in the beginning. It feels like the groundwork for the romance just hasn’t been properly built. And don’t even get me started on the memory loss trope, they really pulled that out just to fast-track the relationship, which felt incredibly lazy.

At this point, I’m already kind of bored, which is the worst place to be with a drama like this. The side characters aren’t interesting enough to compensate, and the main couple isn’t compelling enough to carry it. I'm literally so close to the end of the show and yet there is nothing in it for me to finish it. Especially after reading how everyone calls the ending "bittersweet".

There’s just… something missing. And it’s frustrating because this had so much potential.

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This Story Lives in My Soul: A Love Letter to Zhu Yu

I have to start with….this is my very first written review about a drama. Zhu Yu/Pursuit of Jade has completely captured my soul and heart that I find myself wanting to share my thoughts about this masterclass of a drama.

Story: What a heart wrenching and emotional adaption of a beautiful novel. The story was told in the drama in a way where it hooked me from the moment I started. The way every detail was weaved to build each story arc and the emotional impact behind each arc. Each and every character had their own beautiful and impact moments, no matter how big or small their role was. I was deeply connected to all characters. I found myself rooting for EVERYONE and that is rare. Each character is multidimensional which really elevated the story. I will miss seeing my people everyday after almost a month.

Directing: MASTERCLASS. CHEF’S KISS. MIC DROP. I may be biased but ZQJ deserves all the accolades. He did a phenomenal job with bringing each character to life. The way he helped tailor each scene must be studied. I felt myself drawn to EVERY minute of the drama. Thank you Director ZQJ for your masterpiece.

Acting: SHOUTOUT TO EVERY ACTOR IN THIS DRAMA. Legit everyone brought their own uniqueness and flowers to this drama. Each person brought their own strengths that the drama wouldn’t be a masterclass if we were missing anyone. The emotional impact your acting have brought me will sit with me for a long time, even for life.

Crew/Set Design: Some of the most beautiful sets and costumes I’ve seen. Thank you everyone for your hard and extraordinary work.

I just want to take a moment to appreciate our leads.

Zhang Linghe. He gege. You have truly outdone yourself. Your acting in this drama was some of the best I’ve been in a long time. You brought this hardness and softness to Xie Zhang that mesmerized me. Thank you for your hard work, I cannot wait to see you on the screen again.

Tian Xie Wei, the queen that you are. You brought ChangYu to life and more. You honestly made the character became role models everywhere. The range of your acting was showed case here every minute you were on our screens. You are a role model yourself, how hard you work to bring ChangYu to life is phenomenal.

Thank you to every person who worked on ZhuYu, the masterpiece will sit with me forever. Easily my top 5 drama of all time.

Now….time to rewatch! :)

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Super-duper

Ming hao creates magic with whatever he does... He played dragon King here .. oh sorry!!! fallen dragon king who was betrayed and almost killed by his lover ... (1000 years old dragon king or ek two timer aunty k jhanse me aagya bichara .. ahhh !!! Love is truly blind ) ... Anyways his character is very much likeable ..first you will feel sorry for him like yar bura hua bichare k sath .. then as he achieves back his glory and rehabilitates the dragon valley gradually his role becomes loveable and inspirational. On the other hand female protagonist is a happy go lucky disciple of the immortal sect at first but later she develops into a responsible entity thus accompanying the dragon king on his quest for his body parts ending up as a martyr legend(kind off) .. the drama has good amount of comic relief the second Male lead is bringing that part for us .. as usual immortal sects k dogulepan (two faced-ness) ko bhut details me show Kiya gya h yha .. after watching so many cdarama now I am convinced these immortal can't bring anything productive to the world ..useless hi hote h ye sare ...

My only complaint is with the ending ... Mjhe to smjh hi nhi aayi ending by God .... seriously I can't understand it at all ... He is looking for people with golden mark/chinese letter something which disappears by itself ... Matlab kya ..?? Kya smjhu isse me ??? Novel me aachi khasi happy ending h .. of them getting married and having a baby boy ... Wo ending dikhane me maut aarhi thi kya makers ko ... Bs isi over smartness k chalte last me aakr potty kr di makers ne ... That's why story ko 9 diye h mene ... Everything minus ending was perfect ...
I will suggest you giving it a try ...

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Went in with high expectations only for it to crash and burn

I actually wrote this review immediately after I decided to drop it as the show was airing but I just couldn't be bothered to post it and eventually forgot it existed. This should tell you enough.

Honestly? I give up. I don't even care how the story unfolds, i'm entirely uninterested. I'm the kind of person that if I've invested 5-6 episodes into a 12-16 episode series i'll try my best to finish it. Even if it means skimming through the episodes just to have a complete storyline in my head. Also i just feel bad for the hours that I had already invested into the drama to leave it unfinished. HOWEVER! this drama? I feel like it would be a disservice to my time to continue watching it.

It's sad since I started the drama with decent expectations, love the lead actors and I was actually very excited about the general premise of the show. I have to say, it was still enjoyable until maybe episode 5?

I liked Choi Wooshik's character a lot and he really is a good actor to me. Jung So Min's character on the other hand? While she is by herself a really good actress in my opinion this character of hers was just...so bland, so mid, her personality was just non existent to me. She felt very flat. Even the tone of her voice, how small it was, annoyed me and in my opinion this didn't fit well with the character at all. I thought Somin and Wooshik had pretty decent chemistry but because of how uninterested i was in Meri as a person nor what happened to her I just fully checked out after a while. Not to mention the unnecessary childhood connection that I will never understand why the drama writers in Sokor are so obsessed with. Why can't we be into a person for the character that they are NOW? Why do we need to add that layer of connection?

Oh and all of the conflicts and plotlines that happened? I predicted them from a mile away.

I saw some clips from the later parts of the drama on twitter and honestly it looked SO boring, predictable, and created drama for the sake of drama kind of scriptwork. Lazy imo, will be dropping it.

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A story about love in all its forms

Us made me cry so many times, and it’s not because it’s a particularly sad story. Yes, it does have serious and emotional moments, but that’s not why it resonated with me so much. What really got to me was how real these characters felt, and how authentically the show handled its themes. I could relate to several of these characters, and even when I didn’t condone their behavior, I still felt for them. I understood their pain, and I could tell how much certain words meant to them.

What stood out most to me were the many beautiful relationships. The love between Rak and Pam is so gentle, full of empathy and genuine care, that it almost hurts to watch. The sibling bond between Rak and Kawi is just as compelling, especially in contrast with the complicated relationship they have with their parents.

The show also gives space to other connections, including Pam’s bond with her family, the friendships she and Rak nurture, and smaller dynamics that still feel meaningful. Oat was one of my favorites, and her moments with Nene and Kawi added so much warmth. Altogether, the series takes its time exploring different forms of love, and that patience really pays off.

That same patience, however, might not work for everyone. The story begins in a quiet, almost uneventful way, and it can take a while to fully settle into its rhythm. But it’s exactly this slower pace, spending time with the characters, watching their everyday struggles, and seeing their relationships gradually evolve, that creates such a strong emotional connection.

I also really appreciated how the show handled themes like emotional neglect, trauma, and toxic family dynamics. It approaches them with empathy and avoids forcing neat or unrealistic resolutions. Instead, it focuses on how different upbringings shape who we become, and gently encourages the idea that making peace with your past is a process. It reminds us that it’s not your fault when someone hurts you, and that you’re not responsible for fixing everything. You can’t choose your family, but sometimes you find people who feel like home.

On a technical level, the series is just as strong. The music choices are some of the best I’ve heard in a GMMTV show. They fit each scene perfectly and enhance the emotional tone. Combined with the soft, warm color grading, the overall atmosphere feels incredibly comforting. The cast did a fantastic job as well, and the chemistry between the leads, as well as many of the side characters, felt natural and effortless.

My only real criticism is the main antagonist. Without going into spoilers, I wish there had been a bit more nuance in how that character was written. Still, since the surrounding conflict was handled thoughtfully, it didn’t take away too much from the overall experience.

Us is the kind of slice-of-life story that makes you want to call someone you care about just to tell them you love them. It’s filled with characters I’ll genuinely miss, and with quiet, heartfelt moments that will stay with me for a long time.

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Pretty decent, nothing superb but very lovely all the same

I'll keep it pretty short for this one.

It's a pretty decent drama and the cast worked really well. Personally, there were a lot of laugh out loud moments for me. While it did have some over the top, ridiculous moments, you just have to remind yourself that this isn't a documentary but a tv show made for fun. Therefore due to that aspect, it did feel like a proper manwha adaptation and I really enjoyed seeing the FL come out of her shell.

I also liked the romantic progression between the leads, it captured the awkward and clumsy feelings of love at that age. It was just a good time for me, it didn't tackle any major issues or heavier subjects but focused on the growing pains of teenagers, pressure from parents and the feeling of not really knowing who you are. A solid watch if you're in the mood for what it's serving.

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