such a great start!
set in the 1990s, this is this story of Tonrak and Barth, “one that has lost all faith, one that is full of unwavering faith”.I absolutely love the cinematography and color grading. so dark and gritty, so different from GMMTV’s usual style, and exactly what this story deserves. everything felt so artistic and poetic. that one scene where Tonrak and Barth stop the crucifix from falling and their hands touch, the sheer symbolism of that scene!!
Fourth’s acting was as amazing as always! while I usually found Gemini’s acting quite stiff in his past dramas, here his acting felt pretty expressive. I could feel his anger at God, and life in general . when he said “then one day I realized, your God never helped me at all”, I FELT THAT!!
one this that me and a lot of other people seem to be confused about (mild spoilers ahead …)
is that in the beginning the Father says “hard to believe it’s been almost 20 years” when present timeline is 2025 and past timeline starts from 1996.
later on they say something about the ordination being over 10 years away, (ep1 19:05). so I’m guessing maybe the past timeline will go up to 2006-07, and that’s when Father and Barth met for the last time until the time skip. hence, their current meeting in 2025 being almost 20 years since the last time they met. I wonder how all that can fit in just 6 episodes, I hope nothing feels rushed!
so far, this is off to a great start, and I feel like we’re about to witness something extraordinary. can’t wait to see how this unfolds!
PS. ep1 gave me major I Told Sunset About You vibes, and that’s one of my most favorite BLs of all time! I’m wishing that TTH turns out be a masterpiece just like ITSAY🥹
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This review may contain spoilers
Why did I start before it was finished?
Now I need to wait whole week for more episodes.It’s refreshing to watch a funny kdrama because it was written to be funny and because actors can deliver the material. Although I can not tell you “why” I find it so laugh out loud funny, even if my life depended on it. The humour is often so on the nose and campy, thus I fully understand it is not for everyone.
Besides the humour, I love the “slow burn” romance of this series, I understand and more crucially, Believe the mutual care and love the main characters feel for each other. I am extremely grateful to the writers and actors for this tasty morsel.
To balance the review out, I also wish to share my one annoyance about the story: the plot progression relies too heavily on miscommunication. I believe it goes against Shin Seo Ri’s character to hide from Cha Se Gye his brothers' scheming and threats (which are also becoming repetitive with the aunt and fiancee).
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The masterpiece I thought
This bl series Ticket to heaven is what a masterpiece it doesn't just implies faith and love but it also implying the forbidden love between two men , that signifies one of the great wall in churches especially catholicism.I hope their stories be a lesson and a blueprint for any dynamisms in the complexities of love trial.
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OFF TO A GREAT START!
I love revenge stories when they’re done right, and so far it seems like this will be done right.this is the story of Min, a 25 year old guy with a troubled past. for years he had been blaming himself for the death of his family members, until one day he finds out the real culprit behind their deaths was someone else. then he sets out on a journey to get revenge.
this is my first time seeing any of these actors. and I’m blown away by how amazing Min’s acting is. I was ready to hate on his character when we started the drama with him holding a knife to an innocent child. but by the time the episode ended, I was rooting for him and ready to fight alongside him😂
Fuaiz as the villain was also amazing. I didn’t even realize at first that he was the same guy that had a past connection with Min until they showed a flashback. it’s safe to say that I will be HATING his character 😂
I absolutely loved the cinematography and the color grading. it’s so gritty and dark, very fitting for the stiry. I love the non linear story telling too, even though it might feel a bit confusing at first. I haven’t read the manhwa, but inwas able to follow the story along. (feel free to comment if you wanted me to explain!)
so far this is looking VERY PROMISING! idk how I’ll survive the wait for a whole week till the next episode drops!
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interesting idea, bad realisation
What I liked:-an interesting idea and I really enjoyed seeing Park Bo -young in a different role away from the friendly, cuty, clean good girl image. I think she pulled the role surprisingly good and the strain of the story was quite etched in her features along the way.
-I did like her character and I understood perfectly well where she is coming from given her background.
-nice suspense building so it at least got me watching until the end
What I disliked
-HUGE plotholes from the very beginning. First mega stumble in the first episodes 17 minutes in. If there was a coffin with 100 pieces of 10kg gold bars they would weigh? Exactly, a 1000kg. The 5 lanky/older airport workers couldn't lift shit of this, as each of them would have to carry about 200kg plus the weight of the steel coffin. Also the mob guys wouldn't move this coffin one inch forward into the car in the next scene. Stuff like that REALLY annoys me because it kind of taints the whole plot altogether.
And that mistake has follow ups- the van the coffin is loaded in? When the boyfirend pulls the gun on the driver and tells him to take a sharp turn to the right? Id the driver did that with that much weight in the back The car would have gonem straight into the wall because the ton weight in the back would have accelerated with the speed of the car and the sudden motion. When the FL later is driving to get away from the mob guys? If you load such van, even am SUV with more that 1000kg of dense dead weight? the rear would probably scratch the bottom, the brakes wouldn't work, and she couldn't maneuvre the car in a hectic flight chase at all.
And other such mistakes followed through the show. ( the abuse 'uncle' getting his head bashed in witha golf club, bleeding liters of blood on the floor, any yet, he is well and alive in the hospital the next day with a small bandage around his head and so on...)
So, yes, nice to watch for a bit of suspense IF you are not a logic freak like me who can't overlook such major mistakes.
If you are interested in the main idea of people being intrigued by suddenly getting their hands on huge sums of illegal money? Go watch 'walking on thin ice' Much better delivery of the idea with a more realistic approach of the actual goods and how to make them into money. With the same basic plot idea, I enjoyed that show much more.
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It's enjoyable, but surely overrated!?
The Good:✅ The top acting by almost* everyone (including the child actor, but seriously there are some amazing performances)
✅ The high budget of the show really shows, it's really a dazzling production.
✅ The romance is quite good (other than the noble idiocy bit, but even that is not the worst)
✅ Top tier bickering
✅ The super weak love triangle
✅ There is no forced separation or breakups.
✅ The setting is quite well thought out.
✅ The lack of in laws is refreshing.
The Average:
🟡 IU's acting.* (it's still good objectively, but not up to her usual very high standard, though I cannot really blame her for not taking this script too seriously.)
🟡 The secretary couple
🟡 The usual shy teenager act..
The Bad:
❌ The non-romantic plot is just awful.
❌ There are intelligence insulting contradictions too.
❌ While contract marriages are often a lot of fun, the guaranteed leak of the contract is the worst & most predictable cliche in this genre.
❌ Dad, QM & maybe even the FL got a full character rewrite near the end, jarringly so
❌ This is subjective, but I don't like the idea of abolishing the monarchy like this. It goes against the romance of the show, I mean in the classical sense, there is this whole semi-glamor concept & then they just flip the table, I never liked it when an extraordinary character dreams of or just becoming ordinary.
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It's not perfect- but it's soooo great
The first episode was rather slow.The pacing was not perfect. "Last Dance" is getting annoying after a bit.
But no other drama has ever emotionally moved me like this. The acting, the chemistry, the portrayal of a long relationship, the story, the complexity.
At the end tears ran down my face. I have already seen this two times and i will probably watch it again.
10/10
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A brief look at emotional depedency
This drama was quite nice.It has begun with the "bad boy falls for a girl and changes" trope, which was (for its short length) nicely explained and didn't felt rushed. Furthermore it was a look at codependency, dealing with past trauma and making another person the centre of your world. The actors were good, especially the actress playing the traumatised girl. Even though it sometimes felt cheesy and over the top, it got me giggling and kicking my feet.
7/10
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Second lead couple total Fire and passion
I did try to like this one but the story was lacking. Let me start with the good:1. Amazing, simply smashingly amazing love story between the second lead couple
2. Love the villain and his acting, and again the whole second lead story. The chemistry was through the roof, acting was top notch, it was worth watching only for them ( similar situation to My Journey to you, Fated hearts), where the second leads stole the show and the first lead was so boring
3. Ok, even if I want to talk again about the acting and second leads I will leave it here and say a few words about the first lead female - she was so so good and convincing in her fighting skills that I was like, finally a woman that has great fighting, acting and belivable aura as a general/fighter
4. Well, the first male lead was very boring, could not see him as smart or an amazing fighter or anything extraordinary. I know people mentioned that the novel was not like that and they did him dirty ( i have not read the novel) but I am willign to beleive they altered his characer badly. It is not the actor's fault for sure as he has seen him in the Story of Cunning Palace and how amazing he was there but I guess he could not show his potential. Also, by watching Cunning Palace I believed the rumours about dating Bai Lu because their chemistry was insane
5. High budget, good OST
6 And amazing second lead villain. Yes, I had to say it again :D
Now the bad:
I will not get into details but the story was lacking . This had to potentila to be at least 80 episodes. 40 was not enough
The othing about first male lead I already mentioned above so no point mentioning it again
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Yang Yang definitely didn’t disappoint. The entire cast delivered strong performances, and the friendship and teamwork between the characters were one of the drama’s biggest strengths. Their chemistry felt natural and made the group dynamics enjoyable to watch.
The drama hooked me from the very first episode. The mysteries and plot twists kept things interesting throughout the story. While some twists were a little predictable, they were still executed well enough to keep me invested. The fight scenes were also well-choreographed and added to the excitement without feeling repetitive.
One thing I really appreciated was the pacing. There were no episodes that felt boring or dragged out, and each episode gave me a reason to continue watching.
Overall, I had a great time watching this drama. If you’re looking for a series with compelling mysteries, strong friendships, exciting action scenes, and little to no focus on romance, I would definitely recommend giving it a try.
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A Simple Story That Created Magic❤️❤️❤️
Hidden Love is proof that a drama doesn’t need a complicated storyline, huge plot twists, or massive production to become a masterpiece. Sometimes, all it takes is a simple story told with sincerity and heart with the right cast. This drama hit all the right spots and created something truly magical. It’s amazing how such a simple story could leave such a huge impact and stay with people for years.I love this drama so much! The characters felt so real that they made me believe they exist somewhere in another world. Even now, I still think about them and imagine their lives. Three years later, I am still stuck in my Hidden Love era.
What makes this drama so special is how genuine everything feels. The family dynamics, the sibling bond, and especially the relationship between Duan Jiaxu and Sang Zhi all feel natural and authentic. They don’t feel like fictional characters,they feel like real people. Their love story is pure, comforting, and beautifully written, and I can’t help but wish them endless happiness.
I love Duan Jiaxu and Sang zhi so much!! 😍😍😍. They bring me so much joy, and watching them together always makes me smile. The warmth, care, and respect they share make their relationship one of the most beautiful I’ve seen on screen. I truly wish everyone could experience a love like theirs.
I keep rewatching this drama, and it never gets old. No matter how many times I watch it, it brings the same happiness and comfort. I’ve never been this attached to a drama or rewatched one so many times. But Hidden Love is different,it’s a story I could revisit endlessly and still fall in love with again.
For me, Hidden Love is more than just a drama. It’s a comfort, a happy place, and a story that will always have a special place in my heart. The fact that such a simple story could create such deep emotions and leave such a lasting impact is what makes it truly special.
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Korean version of Stranger Things
"Some people are different. Others are late bloomers. Others prefer the quiet outskirts. But there is no such thing as a nobody."
The WONDERfools feels like a Korean version of Stranger Things — set in late 1999 in the small town of Haeseong, where secret laboratory experiments, children with superpowers, and four outcasts trying to save the town all come together.
At first, the title made me hesitate. I honestly expected some silly comedy, which is absolutely not my cup of tea. But I’m so glad I gave this drama a chance, because it turned out to be a real blast.
I was hooked from the very beginning. The comedy is hilarious, but still natural and grounded. The action and fight scenes are captivating and well choreographed, and the chemistry between the characters is fantastic. The drama finds the perfect balance between humor, action, and emotional depth.
I especially loved the female lead, Eun Chae Ni, played by Park Eun Bin. Her quirky, spontaneous, chaotic, brave, and authentic personality was such a joy to watch. I honestly wish I could be as free-spirited and true to myself as she is.
The WONDERfools is an incredible drama that keeps you hooked until the very end — absolute perfection from start to finish.
Now I’m waiting for season 2.
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Good kisses.
This was quite short, only 4 episodes around 8 minutes long each.The story was nothing special but is was ok, it's hard to make something with a lot of detail when it's that short.
It had beautiful visuals and music.
The acting was good, they had a some chemistry and the kisses were good.
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The YinWar Effect!!!!!!!!!!
A 10/10 show. I genuinely didn't find a single flaw in this show. The story had me hooked from the very first episode, but the real MVP is War. His performance as Joker is easily one of the best I've seen in a BL. He brings so much emotion to the character, and those crying scenes? Absolutely devastating. Also, why is he such a pretty crier?And the chemistry between Yin and War? Insane. Every look, every touch, every scene together felt effortless. They didn't just have chemistry—they had me giggling, kicking my feet, and forgetting I was supposed to be paying attention to the plot. Every episode left me wanting more, and by the end, I wasn't ready to let these characters go.
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Interesting Story, Rough Execution (Pacing and Script Issues)
I don’t know, folks. I’ve like the leads in other dramas, but I went back and forth on this one. The short runtime is definitely a plus, since it doesn’t require a huge time commitment and is largely why I could finish it out. The storyline itself is pretty interesting—but I struggled with the dialogue, which felt repetitive, and some of the tropes gave the male characters a forced aggressive exterior that frequently crossed the line for me.I think the main reason I struggled with the execution is that the script just didn’t land for me. There were so many repeated misunderstandings that, if trimmed, the series could probably have been reduced to 10–15 episodes. It often felt like for every two steps forward, there were two steps back, with the story resetting the characters to where they were in episode one. That became frustrating over time. There’s a lot of potential here IMO, and I think the actors did the best with what they were given. But overall, this wasn't a win for me.
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