Reviews

When Pretend Seem Real

Finally, I was able to watch this movie. I was intrigued by the title itself and with Brendan in a Japanese environment.
A person for rent to act in any way needed by the family is quite an unusual job. I think this stems out from services of having personal hosts for a day, a girl Friday or a Geisha to entertain.

I find the concept of Rental Family quite odd. And as Philip said at the interview, he felt this is lying. and it is! If it is a one-time deal, perhaps he can get away with it. As Shinji said, they are meeting emotional needs of a family. But how far would you go to meet that need?

The movie is almost two hours, but we see different sides of the Rental Family odd jobs. All pretend, but to the families around who needed emotional healing, they seem real. And there is the danger of getting too invested and personal. In a society that is so fast-paced, emotional connection sometimes gets left. This movie tells us that all of us needed someone to somehow be a friend, a brother, a sister, a dad or mom. It shows how much society had focused on physical achievements rather than human relations. To Philip, some of those pretends, were related to his own experiences. At some point, I was teary when Kiko San was in his hometown.

Somehow there is a redeeming factor in the movie. A wake-up call for Shinji to revise his services. Philip gets to be himself before Mia. For Philip to be there for Kiko San till his death, something that filled the void of his own loss in the past. Aiko to stand up to Shinji and quit. The Rental Family supporting Philip to get out of trouble. I am glad the movie ended in a good note.

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Interesting and Intricate storylines from Generation to Generation but not perfectly executed

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25

I’m interested in checking out “Generation to Generation” because there aren’t that many wuxia dramas out there that only focus on the martial arts world without the cultivation to immortality. And there are many more political, historical and xianxia dramas out there. Besides, I haven’t seen Zhou Yi Ran in a while and especially in a period drama. “Generation to Generation” has quite an intricate plot that has storylines that span two generations. It’s an ambitious novel adaptation that didn’t quite execute perfectly.


Likes:
Mu Qing Yan (ML) - You can say he’s a red flag or a gray character. He’s not a full-on red flag as in Xie Wei in “The Story of Kunning Palace” where he would manhandle FL. Instead, he’s intelligent and calculating, obsessed and lonely. What I love about him is that he is still pretty much the same Mu Qing Yan from beginning to the end (with the exception of the very last episode). You know he has some dirty tricks and schemes in his sleeves, and you know there must be an underlying reason for his actions, no matter how innocent it seems. Mu Qing Yan is a very interesting antihero.

Zhou Yi Ran (actor) - He is the star of the show. If you are his fan, you have got to check out this drama for him. He’s no longer the teenager I remember in “When I Fly Towards You” or “The Bond”. His acting has matured, especially the subtle emotional acting, a little side eye or smirk here and there. From acting to body posture, he exudes charisma and you cannot take your eyes off him.

Cai Zhao - Cai Zhao is the perfect match for Mu Qing Yan. She is not only intelligent and can see through Mu Qin Yan’s motives and schemes. She’s also street smart and knows how to use her quick wits to either avoid conflict or skirt past them. Additionally, she’s strong physically. Cai Zhao is no damsel in distress. Instead, she often scoops in to save the day or fight as an equal partner and warrior alongside Mu Qing Yan.

General Plot - I was entertained throughout the 37 episodes and was paying attention to the intricate events and characters. I really like the plot of both generations, and enjoy seeing how the characters and the action of the older generation affect the storylines of the younger generations. I can only imagine how much better the novel is compared to the drama.


Mixed feelings and Average:

Execution of the Plot - As much as I like the general plot, the execution could use some more work. Many characters are introduced within the first episodes, and these names keep on coming back throughout the drama. At times, the drama does show flashbacks to remind you of who these minor characters are. But sometimes when they don’t, a name would be thrown out here and there, and I would have to think really hard and recall who they are. Additionally, there’s not enough time to really show what happened before and now. The story of heroine Cai Ping Shu (FL’s aunt) really took up a lot of the screentime. Everything happened because of her. I wish a whole season was dedicated to the older generation’s love triangles and one-sided loves, hatred, betrayals, and schemes. It sounded more fun than what the younger generation is going through. If we can get 2 seasons, one per generation, that would be awesome.

Acting - Aside from Zhou Yi Ran, the rest of the cast did a fine job. I don’t think anyone really stands out, and this includes the veterans. Bao Shang En did a decent good job as the female lead, but there’s still room for improvement during emotional scenes. I feel that none of the actors has done a better job than Zhou Yi Ran in those subtle facial expressions. Having said that, no one also sticks out like a sore thumb. They are just fine.

Romance/Chemistry - I mentioned earlier, I love that Mu Qin Yan is obsessively in love yet never really hurts Cai Zhao in any way. He never physically chokes her (LOL) nor puts her in any dangerous situation. Their relationship is interesting. You can say Mu Qin Yan deceives Cai Zhao many times. You can say Cai Zhao abandons and never puts Mu Qin Yan above her family, friends and principles. But as you get to know the characters, you find their actions totally make sense. Cai Zhao is smart and she will see through Mu Qin Yan’s manipulation and schemes, and the funny thing is, Mu Qin Yan knows that, too. It doesn’t matter, she will choose to be ‘manipulated’ time and time again. However, I do find the chemistry between the two leads to be just OK. It’s not sizzling and it’s not fluffy. It’s…..OK. For that, I am slightly disappointed.


Disappointments:

Fight/Action scenes - Unfortunately for a wuxia drama, the action scenes are very average or slightly below average. There are not enough to begin with. The ones we do have are filled with slow motion moves, occasional posing and just not good hardcore sword fighting.

Production Value - It’s pretty clear that this is not a big budget production. You barely have 20 people when you start a rebellion or hostile takeover or going to battle. The CGI isn’t well done and I am really disappointed in the costumes. Some of them look like random cloth draped on the actors. There’s also ugly uniforms that look like aprons made out of blankets!

Main Villain - You can tell immediately who the main villain is. No question at all! The reason for them turning evil was so hilarious and delusional. They were mysterious for a while but once the reasons for everyone’s actions were revealed, I was laughing out loud at its ridiculousness. This is probably what caused many viewers to be super disappointed in the last few episodes.

Episode 37 (Ending) - I was expecting a different direction of the ending that could be much more memorable and realistic. But I also am not surprised that the drama went with a more popular direction. But the reason for ML’s sudden health change was quite ridiculous. However, I am most disappointed in the execution of the ending. It was so cheesy!!! The drama was quite serious from start to almost finish. Yet the last episode totally changes the vibe of the drama. I really do not need a song and dance.


Would I recommend this drama? I would, especially if you are a veteran wuxia drama watcher who is familiar and comfortable with the introduction of many characters. The plot is intricate yet not really very confusing but will require your full attention. However, it does take patience to sit through the whole drama to let the stories slowly unfold. If you are a fan of Zhou Yi Ran, definitely check it out. I debated rating this an 8 or 8.5, and I settled with 8.25 rounding up to 8.5 because I was having a hard time recently finding a drama to hold my attention from start to finish. “Generation to ‘Generation” was able to keep me interested during this time when I have a very short attention span.




Completed: 3/18/2026 Review #673

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spoiler alert ⚠️

I really like the idea behind this show. Both main characters had such interesting jobs and families. I also liked how their story began and how they first met then became neighbors. I was loving the show till they added the ex girlfriend and that weird plot line. What made me drop the show completely, however, was the weird and unnecessary plot twist of Seo Hae-ahn and how he turned out to be the one who killed MC's brother.

Pros:- 1. Unique concept: The concept of seeing and helping dead people move to the afterlife and granting them a last wish so the could die in peace is interesting and unique.
2: MCs: Both mcs had such interesting jobs. The female mc had an uneasy job as a mortician, a job that is quote overlooked but is needed all the time. I also enjoyed the various jobs the male mc did and how he ran errands that had him cross roads with the female mc.
3. Comedy: The show did offer some comedy and humor especially through both mcs uncles. which made the show lighter.

Cons:
1. Unnecessary plot lines (my opinion): I didn't find the ex girlfriend plot line necessary at all, it barely added any real touch to the show. I felt like they did too much with that plot line as it lasted for a few episodes. I would even say that this plot line made me like the male mc much less as I felt like he wronged his ex a lot. I ended up feeling bad for her as her 10 year relationship—that was about to end up in a proposal— ended terribly when she has done nothing wrong.

2. Unnecessary plot twist: The last straw that had me drop the show was the plot twist of Seo Hae-ahn. He was a nice character and he had a beautiful brotherhood with male mc and his uncle. I liked his plot line and his brother being the drunk driver that killed male mc's brother quite a lot. Then the plot took a dumb twist and he turned out to be the real killer. I couldn't bring myself to watch the show after that as the plot twist felt forced and just unnecessary. The show didn't need a plot twist and a dark side, in my opinion.

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a Japanese whodunit

Depending on your preferences and like Korean/C dramas that redirect the story then this probably is not your cup of tea. Nothing misleading here, the story just unfolded every layer of the characters like an onion. It’s not a happy ending in a sense of Cinderella as lives were broken, yet it focuses on the central four characters and like Stand By Me, they supported each other at their weakest. Our femme detective reminds me of Agatha Christie’s leads, but the Japanese in in uncanny way made her delightful to watch. She was the glue. of course I’m a big fan of our male lead as he is such a versatile Japanese actor, playing a stoic character strong yet flawed with pain. I’m glad it’s only 9 episodes so no fillers are needed. I truly enjoy the Japanese film industry as they dance to their own music. speaking of music, I love the song so much it’s downloaded on my iPhone.

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Like being talked through someone else's holiday photos

Boyfriend on Demand is the televisual equivalent of watching paint dry — except at least with paint you know something is setting. The drama is relentlessly episodic: this happens, then that happens, then they go somewhere new and repeat the pattern — but to what end? It’s not that nothing happens. Plenty happens. The problem is that none of it carries emotional weight. Because the stakes of these essentially transactional fantasy dates are so low, we have no real reason to care. Watching it often feels like being talked through someone else’s holiday photos — pleasant enough in theory, but entirely devoid of shared investment.

Most critically, there is no tension. No real “will they, won’t they,” because tension requires something to lose — and without character development there is nothing at risk. A fantasy of beautiful clothes and doe-eyed men is not a substitute for interiority. Aesthetic charm cannot sustain a story on its own.

I love a heart-fluttering, happy-ending romance as much as the next K-drama aficionado, and I have a high tolerance for lightness if there’s enough sincerity to carry it. But after six episodes, I had to step away. The result is a quiet kind of ennui — not because nothing happens, but because nothing truly matters. Without emotional stakes or growth, even the prettiest fantasy begins to feel hollow. And over time, that hollowness becomes its own kind of quiet desperation — a longing for something genuine to emerge and give it weight.

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I went into this expecting fluff, but it was just ridiculous. The premise is an almost-thirty FL has a self-imposed marriage deadline and her younger co-worker volunteers to marry her if she's not taken by then. I wouldn't have started the show if I couldn't work with that. I can suspend reality for the sake of romance. But what we actually get is a parody of a pre-teen's first crush. The "younger" co-worker was far more mature than the FL. He was sweetly crushing on her, but after a certain point, I just wonder, "Why?" I was surprised to see so many positive reviews for this title. Nearly all of them mentioned the "chemistry" of the couple. The "romance" scenes were super cringey and often seemed out of character for one or both characters.

I am NOT a fan of breaking the 4th wall, and would not have started this if I had known it was used. It occured so frequently that it was often difficult to determine what was information just for us and what the other characters were aware of. The rest of the cast were completely forgettable for me- the only two I can remember are the FL's friend and the co-worker who was interested in her. But that situation came and went so randomly that I don't know what the purpose was in including it at all. The actor playing the ML had an attractive somewhat intense gaze at times. The actress playing the FL was cute but played an annoying character. That's about all the feedback I can provide.

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Sweet transmigration drama with rushed ending

I noticed that iQIYI has added many Zhang Bei Xi dramas to their catalogue. I was delighted because there were a few titles that I had planned to watch. I wanted something light so I chose this drama. I liked it.

What I liked:
1. FL characterisation - I liked her cool & calm attitude. She knew she had to be self-reliant after transmigrated to another decade. I liked that she thought about her survival long-term.
2. Romance - Sweet. FL never intentionally wooed ML but ML was worn by her charms. I liked that they did activities together.
3. ML characterisation - He was Mr Nice Guy. At first he was protective of FL out of obligation but after awhile, he was the provider in nature.
4. Supporting characters - I liked ML's mother and grandmother. I also liked the soldiers.

What I disliked:
1. Antagonists - That green tea annoyed me. She was cunning by influencing people to participate in the hate campaign.
2. Ending - It was rushed. The last 8 episodes were boring to me - I didn't pay attention. I also would have liked for FL to come clean to ML.
3. Kissing - The scenes looked chaste - lips touched and kissing done.

Favourite scene
Yoga

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"Meowonderful!"

I was in the mood for something soft and cuddly. Samurai Cat curled up on my lap and brought a warm smile to my face. Kitamura Kazuki has never been more handsome and masculine looking than when holding a white kitty in one hand and a katana in the other.

Madarame Kyutaro was fired as the Kaga family’s sword instructor and now makes ends meet by creating umbrellas. He faithfully holds out hope for finding a samurai job yet can’t even land an interview. His wife and daughter wait dutifully back home for him. One day, members of the Yonezawa family ask him to murder their rival’s cat. The town has been split in two ever since an incident 30 years ago between the cat loving Aikawa clan and the dog loving Yonezawa clan. Down to his last coins, he accepts the job. When she turns her sparkling green eyes on him, Madara is unable to kill the beautiful white cat and takes her home instead. Before long, the situation explodes and the loner ends up not only playing referee, but giving refuge to a maid who cares for the cat and a young samurai bent on vengeance.

Samurai Cat the drama was one of my first Jdramas. I found it to be thoroughly charming. Though not as strong, once Madara gave in and picked up the kitty, it was hard to begrudge the film anything. This character is my favorite of Kitamura’s. I was pleased he still had his own theme song he sang. “Slash ‘em, slash ‘em, slash ‘em! My mother once told me I was born holding a sword. Invincible, never lose a battle. That’s the only road for Madara...”

The story started out slow and was simplistic and a little silly. I suppose having a cat clan vs a dog clan made as much sense as a lot of other reasons samurai hated each other and wanted to fight. An old wives’ tale stated that white cats brought money and people. This sweet kitty and a gruff ronin actually did combine to bring people together and peace to Edo. So, if you are needing a heartwarming film that can put a smile on your face, Neko Zamurai/Samurai Cat would be a good place to start.

“As a ring of a cat’s collar bell
Tells me that I’m not alone
Going on the trackless path
I am Neko Zamurai.”

ஐ
18 March 2026

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Investigations in the palace that failed to captivate

Yes, the cast is appealing! Yes, the cinematography is beautiful. But it stops there.
The FL (Bai Lu) lost all her family in one night and because of that doesn’t feel anymore. Yet, we see her compassionate with her assistant and falling in love (or more deep in friendship) with the ML (Wang Xing Yue), which makes the way she plays her character very robotic and doesn’t make sense. And the whole drama is like her character … it lacks development and logic.
We see an emperor not caring for his own child, but for her. Sympathizing for her but not for his concubine, etc.
The writers made the investigations complicated but at the end they lack of depth and again don’t make sense. People kill out of friendship, misunderstanding or naivety. Then, the perpetrators confess out of nowhere but aren’t condemned, except there is no fine line between their crimes and their motives, there is no moral conflict for the investigators .. yet the writers decided to deliver murderers with stories carry on for 3/4 episodes that at the end fall short … again lack of character development, depth and emotions aren’t logic which makes the whole story not plausible.

Then we have the FL & ML. And unfortunately, like a lot of time on MDL, people chose to give ratings based on their faves and not the drama itself. Truth is that Bai Lu and Wang Xing Yue are very good actors, but probably because of the script, they lack chemistry here. Their story isn’t credible at all, nor their fondness for each other. Of course, the writers added some bond since childhood which fortunately explained a bit more why the ML would be fond of her.

In brief, this drama is a fail and wasn’t worth the hype at all. They wanted to mix a lot of genre at once, thriller, crime, investigations, romance, palace…. And ended giving us a lot of chaotic short stories that fell short. I understand why some wished for a romance in this drama, cause at least it would have taken our focus off all the faults in this drama

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Jira should have ended up with the other.

I really liked this. Especially for its maturity, like it certainly had some sexy scenes. recently, the uni student shows get a bit same same, so a mature series is always a nice break from those. i thought the plot was cool. but ultimately … im not that obsessed with how it went. i went into this show knowing offgun will end up together bc they’re a working pair. however.. ive always liked dewgun. even if i didnt, i still would have wanted their characters together. because they were the couple that got together more naturally. they had such good vibes together. koh and jira felt so forced as koh was eventually forcing himself into jira’s space. so then their relationship started feeling forced and unnatural. (plus koh was toxic vibes from the start. pheem was an overall lovely character). and it was really off putting. i just think the show went too far in the direction of jira and pheem being a genuinely lovely couple, that i then struggled to be content with koh and jira.. it just became an annoying series 😭

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Slow but Beautiful

Road Home was a gentle love story between two people with nearly everyone against their relationship, especially family and friends. The pace was slow, but the actors kept this viewer's attention. The ML, especially, did a notable job with his stoic, quiet presence, mainly emoting from his eyes.

The Good:
• The cinematography was outstanding. The snowscapes were spectacular. I was bundled up in my cozy red blanket while it snowed outside my window in real life, but my view wasn't nearly as magical as a night scene in Qining with the houses reflecting colored light on the wintery snow. The desert scenes were equally majestic with mountains, canyons, and gorges dominating the screen.
• Once the ML and FL were grown, they acted like adults in love. The FL was a refreshing departure from the 30-years-old-acting-like-a-12-year-old virginal damsel. She actively pursued the ML and admired his body openly.

The Bad:
• Unless you're a completionist, there's little need to watch the last episode, as it's a rehash of previous scenes which have already been viewed multiple times, and it felt anti-climatic. Good scenes were shown repeatedly in long flashbacks throughout the drama. Cutting or shortening those repetitive flashbacks could have trimmed at least four episodes (conservatively) and tightened up the story telling.
• Chinese dramas (and Korean ones, to a lesser extent) often like to rehabilitate, overlook, or forgive the villains. A violent, abusive, alcoholic man who cheated on his wife, beat his children, and actively tried to destroy their futures realized the error of his ways, stopped drinking, returned to his wife, and became a better man. If only life worked that way!
• There's more rah-rah propaganda than action.

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First impression: stands out more for its ambition than for consistently polished execution

In its opening episodes, Sammy’s Children’s Day presents itself as an ambitious entry within the BL genre, leaning less on the comfort of idealized romance and more on a narrative shaped by contrast. Setting the story in the 1980s Kowloon Walled City is not just an aesthetic choice, as it defines the entire viewing experience. The environment is chaotic, violent, and unpredictable, and that energy carries directly into the tone, which blends crime, humor, and melodrama in ways that aren’t always perfectly balanced, but are almost always engaging.

The narrative structure stands out for its relatively brisk pacing. Unlike many slow burns that take their time laying the groundwork, the first episodes here quickly introduce conflicts, relationships, and even major turning points. This creates a double-edged effect: on one hand, it keeps the viewer engaged and avoids any sense of stagnation; on the other, it weakens the emotional impact of certain developments, which arrive before the audience has fully connected with the characters. Even so, there’s a clear intention to develop the central relationship gradually, building a steady tension that keeps the story compelling.

It’s in the dynamic between He ChuSan and Xia LiuYi that the series finds its strongest footing. Their contrast isn’t treated as a simple trope, but as a driving force of the narrative, exploring differences in personality, social standing, and worldview. Their chemistry works from the start, largely supported by performances that balance intensity with lightness. Even within a violent setting, the series allows space for humor and more spontaneous interactions, which humanize the characters and keep the story from becoming overly heavy.

From a technical standpoint, Sammy’s Children’s Day shows above-average care in certain areas. The cinematography and production design play a key role in immersion, with framing that enhances both action and quieter, more intimate moments. In contrast, the fight scenes reveal clear limitations, whether in the lack of polish in the choreography or in editing choices that disrupt the flow. The dubbing can also be distracting at times, creating a disconnect between dialogue and performance that undercuts some of the more emotionally charged scenes.

Overall, the opening episodes build a series that stands out more for its ambition than for consistently polished execution. There’s a strong identity taking shape, supported by a striking setting and characters with real dramatic potential. At the same time, issues with pacing, tonal balance, and technical finish suggest a production still searching for its footing. If it manages to better align these elements as the season progresses, Sammy’s Children’s Day has all the potential to move beyond a strong first impression and establish itself as one of the more interesting entries in the genre.

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Title: Mei Ren Gong Xin, Nan Pin Di Wang Lun Xian Le (2025) is a great adaptation from the web novel "Chuai Diao Yan Qing Nan Zhu, Gou Da Nan Pin Di Wang" by You Gong Yu with Liu Yi Long (as Quan Ming He) and Sun Lu Lu (as Shen Yu Ling) in the leading couple’s role. The leading couple had great rapport and a fantastic romantic chemistry. The cast did a good job bringing their characters to life and the plot had some differences from other versions that made the story humorous and interesting. On this version, the female lead is more emotionally invested and less of a seductress and the male lead showed his true feelings sooner in the drama; they both worked together to reach their common goals and the end is awesome, enjoy it!
In the meantime, this drama can be found in YouTube under the caption: “Actress Transmigrated & PLAYED GODDESS! ✨ One Night With Emperor, One Knife To Prince...” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXSz1SadDvM)

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