Reviews

When Oranges Fall Is The Softest and Most Comforting BL of the Year, A Sweet Little Gem From GMMTV

I did not expect to fall in love with When Oranges Fall this quickly. After first few episodes, I was completely hooked by how cute, soft, and fluffy everything felt. I have been watching so many toxic, crime filled, and murder mystery BLs lately, so this series honestly feels like such a refreshing change. It is warm, comforting, and full of youthful charm in the best way possible.

This is my first time seeing Progress and Almond acting, and wow, GMMTV really knows how to cast their high school BLs perfectly. Both of them feel so natural in their roles, and the fact that they are close to the age of the characters makes everything feel more believable and genuine. They are both so young and talented already.

What surprised me the most is how different this series feels from a typical GMMTV production. The cinematography and scenery capturing the late 1990s to early 2000s atmosphere are done beautifully. I love the rural setting, the old style high school, and seeing teenage boys riding bikes around town instead of being glued to phones and computers. Watching them sit outside reading comic books and spending time in nature gives the show such a nostalgic and peaceful feeling.

The friendship group is also adorable and so fun to watch. Every interaction feels natural and heartwarming. The story between Ko One and Ko Two already has me invested. I love the whole neighbour dynamic and how their personalities completely clash at first. You can already feel the slow burn romance building underneath all the teasing and awkward moments. I just know watching them slowly fall for each other is going to be the cutest journey ever.

I also love how they communicate using cans and strings instead of being constantly glued to their phones. This series reminds me so much of Bad Buddy. It’s like they’re Pat and Pran’s babies. ❤️

So far, this series feels almost perfect to me. It is sweet, comforting, nostalgic, and genuinely refreshing. I can already tell this will become one of my comfort shows for the next few months .

Honestly, I have watched every single GMMTV series released this year, and this is easily my favorite one so far.

Lire la suite

Learning to love through the chaos

What I appreciated the most about this series is that it never limits itself to just one emotional conflict. Even though the central situation between Pobmek, Solar, and Sun already carries a lot of emotional weight, the story constantly expands into other themes too, adult friendships, family wounds, the pressure placed on children, the exhaustion that comes with teaching, and even the difficulty of connecting with kids when you don’t naturally know how to handle them. Sometimes it almost feels like the drama tries to discuss too many things at once, which can make certain parts less focused, but at the same time that’s also what gives it depth. Perth and Santa’s chemistry really carries everything naturally, especially because they make the emotional and lighter moments flow into each other without feeling forced. One second the series is genuinely funny, and the next it hits you with something unexpectedly painful. I also ended up liking the entire cast a lot, every character felt easy to care about in some way. It’s definitely not a perfect drama, but it handles difficult conversations with a surprising amount of warmth and sincerity, and that made the whole experience feel much more meaningful than I expected.

Lire la suite

​A Heartwarming Rollercoaster Ride—Give It at Least 3 Episodes!

If you are looking for a series that will make you laugh and cry in the exact same episode, Love You Teacher is it. While it might not always be the most realistic show out there (the everyday wardrobe is wildly colorful, but hey, it’s a comedy-drama!), it is incredibly heartwarming, deeply touching, and surprisingly relatable.

(Alert: might contain some spoilers)
Character Dynamics & A Crucial Clarification
First things first to put anyone's mind at ease: there is absolutely no inappropriate relationship between Phobmek and the younger version of Sun. It is a pure, wholesome uncle-and-nephew dynamic, so you can rest assured!

The character growth here is wonderful. Phobmek is such a relatable character—he tends to gatekeep his feelings and struggles to solve things on his own, especially when it comes to his past trauma regarding his mother. He views asking for help as a burden, fearing it makes him look "useless," which makes him heavily dependent on Solar.


A Nuanced Take on Mental Health
The show handles mental health in a way that feels very human. Not every character understands or is immediately aware of psychological struggles. When they finally seek help, it might seem a bit late, but it makes sense in context. Phobmek was initially overwhelmed and confused, especially since Solar's brain CT scan showed nothing physically wrong.

The series highlights a profound truth about trauma: while they do consult a professional, therapy and medication can only do so much if you aren't ready to face the trauma yourself. I love that Solar chose to take things slowly, completely refusing to force Sun out of his body.


Phenomenal Acting & Casting
The chemistry is a breath of fresh air because they have a beautifully established relationship. Solar is such a fantastic character—a total power bottom who is equally thoughtful and fierce.
Also, the Mean Girls reference for Elsa and the gang is absolutely golden!

The acting is undoubtedly top-tier:
- Perth is masterclass here; you can feel every single emotion just through his eyes.
- Santa is doing insane work. The way he differentiates Solar and Sun is brilliant—you can instantly tell who is who just by his portrayal.
- The supporting cast, including Sammy, Kay, and the child actors, are all perfectly cast.


Stunning Production Value
Kudos to P'Dome for directing such a stellar series. He clearly put in the work, even doing proper research and consulting a real licensed psychologist (who actually makes a cameo in episode 3).

The attention to detail is immaculate—from the deliberate choice of colors, ornaments, and decorations to the thought put into the school's name. The CGI, cinematography, camera shots, and settings are gorgeous. A special shoutout goes to the transitions, particularly the rollercoaster ride of moving from their university life into their working life.

Finally, please tune in for all the episodes because the story truly gets better and better. Give it at least a 3-episode rule before making up your mind. The first episode simply introduces the characters and the setting, but after that, the plot beautifully unfolds. You won't regret it!

Lire la suite

Crowned by Hype, Dethroned by Writing

Perfect Crown was one of those dramas that had everyone seated long before the premiere even aired. A cast lineup led by IU and Byeon Woo Seok already sounded like a recipe for success, and adding Gong Seung Yeon and Noh Sang Hyun into the mix only raised expectations higher. The premise itself also sounded promising: a modern Korea still ruled by a constitutional monarchy, where noble blood determines opportunities, status, and power. It had all the ingredients for a layered political romance with emotional depth. Unfortunately, this drama became a reminder that a strong cast and an interesting premise cannot fully save weak execution.

The story centers around Seong Hui Ju, the illegitimate daughter of Korea’s wealthiest conglomerate family. Ever since she was young, Hui Ju grew up painfully aware that she would never be treated equally simply because she lacked noble status. At school, noble students were given privileges she could never access. At home, she constantly compared herself to her father’s legitimate son and resented the cold treatment she received. Those experiences shaped her into someone fiercely self reliant, ambitious, and desperate to prove herself. She builds her success through hard work and eventually becomes the CEO of Castle Beauty, but beneath all her confidence is still a girl trying to compensate for years of feeling lesser than everyone else.

Hui Ju is introduced as someone narcissistic and media obsessed, constantly showcasing her achievements and luxurious lifestyle. At first, I honestly struggled with IU’s portrayal of the character. Not because she is a bad actress, but because this type of role feels outside her natural forte. IU shines brightest in emotionally wounded characters with quiet vulnerability, so seeing her act coquettish, flashy, and almost arrogant felt awkward at times. Still, the more the story progressed, the more I understood that Hui Ju’s personality itself was meant to feel performative. Her confidence is basically designer armor. She challenges the status quo at every opportunity, whether through her words or by boldly showing up to a palace banquet in a striking red modern outfit while everyone else stayed within tradition.

That same banquet introduces Grand Prince Yi An. Much like Hui Ju, Yi An quietly rebels against the rigid royal expectations surrounding him. His untied hunting costume and melancholic demeanor practically turned his entrance into Byeon Woo Seok’s personal runway show. Visually, their first meeting as adults was stunning. Fire sparks flying, Yi An noticing Hui Ju standing confidently in red, the slow motion eye contact. Blandly beautiful is honestly the best way I can describe it. The drama looked expensive, but emotionally, I felt very little.

Flashbacks later reveal that Hui Ju and Yi An actually attended the same school, with Yi An being her senior. Their first interaction at the archery range was genuinely cute. Hui Ju openly voices her resentment toward the inequality between nobles and commoners while still respecting his royal position, and Yi An immediately becomes intrigued by her. Like every classic drama cliché, the prince falls for the girl who dares to challenge him. The problem is that the drama never develops that fascination into anything deeper. We are constantly told Yi An has loved her for years, but the writing barely explores why beyond “she’s different.” Did he ever try to know her better? Did he admire her resilience? Did he understand her loneliness? The emotional depth simply never arrives.

The turning point comes when Hui Ju’s father begins arranging marriages for her with wealthy commoners. Feeling insulted and cornered, Hui Ju decides that the only way to secure her future is to obtain noble status herself. Naturally, her eyes land on the kingdom’s most untouchable bachelor: Grand Prince Yi An. I actually enjoyed watching her desperately try to secure a meeting with him. Yi An ignores every request until she addresses herself as his 후배, the title he always used for her. It was obvious the writers wanted that word to become Perfect Crown’s signature romantic phrase, but the execution lacked impact. By the end, it never carried the emotional weight the drama clearly intended.

Yi An also faces pressure from the palace. Queen Dowager Yun Yi Rang arranges his marriage to someone she can control in order to maintain political influence over him. Refusing to become her puppet, Yi An accepts Hui Ju’s proposal for a contract marriage instead. From there, the drama focuses on palace politics, public image management, fake relationship tropes, and of course, the inevitable transition from fake love to real love.

The issue is that Hui Ju and Yi An’s romance never truly convinced me. Their relationship felt surface level from beginning to end. Yi An’s love mostly came across as fascination, while Hui Ju’s feelings seemed built from proximity and repeated moments of nonchalant love bombing. Yes, they had cute scenes. Yes, they had emotional scenes. But it often felt like the drama was stitching together random romcom moments without properly building the emotional foundation underneath. A collection of pretty scenes does not automatically create a memorable romance. At times, I felt more chemistry from the lighting department than from the actual couple.

Ironically, the relationships surrounding the leads carried far more emotional depth. Prime Minister Min Jeong Woo, played by Noh Sang Hyun, completely stole my attention. Jeong Woo’s feelings for Hui Ju felt believable because the drama actually showed his quiet care and long standing admiration. Noh Sang Hyun portrayed yearning so well that every glance toward Hui Ju carried emotional weight. I genuinely found myself rooting for him instead. When Hui Ju revealed her marriage to Yi An was only contractual, his visible relief honestly gave me peak second lead syndrome. Him telling her to marry him instead if she only wanted noble status? Sir, I understand you completely.

Another unexpectedly compelling relationship was between Yi An and Queen Dowager Yi Rang. Before their history was revealed, their scenes carried a strange mixture of political tension and unresolved emotional intimacy. The hotel scene where Yi Rang barges into Yi An’s room after spotting a woman’s bag while Yi An casually appears in an untied bathrobe practically screamed unresolved tension louder than the OST itself. Yi Rang ended up becoming one of the drama’s strongest characters. Once a bright young woman with dreams of her own, she sacrificed everything under her father’s greed to maintain her family’s legacy as producers of queens. Her guilt over the late king’s death, her complicated bond with Yi An, and her desperation to maintain control all gave her layers the main romance lacked. Gong Seung Yeon was phenomenal here. She carried herself with such commanding elegance that she genuinely felt like royalty.

The political side of the story also had potential but suffered from rushed writing. Yi An spends most of his life stepping aside for his weak older brother because tradition dictates the eldest must rule. Even after his brother, the late king, secretly wished for Yi An to inherit the throne instead, Yi An continues suppressing himself for the sake of peace. But after repeated assassination attempts and Hui Ju getting hurt because of palace schemes, he finally decides to ascend the throne himself. I was genuinely excited to see where the story would go from there. Then the drama immediately pulled the rug out from under everything.

Yi An’s very first decision as king is abolishing the monarchy entirely. Excuse me? That twist felt painfully underdeveloped. If dismantling the monarchy was always the endgame, the story should have planted those ideological seeds much earlier. Instead, it felt like the writers suddenly realized they needed a clean ending where everyone could conveniently move on. Hui Ju gets to continue her business life without dealing with royal restrictions, Yi Rang gets closure, and Yi An becomes a romantic hero who destroys the system for love. It sounds poetic in theory, but in execution, it felt shallow.

Jeong Woo’s downfall frustrated me too. His sudden villain arc because Yi An “wouldn’t let Hui Ju go” felt inconsistent with how passive he had been throughout the story. If he truly loved her that deeply, why did the drama barely show him actively fighting for her before the final stretch? Even his exposure was anticlimactic. One conveniently recorded conversation suddenly destroys him, and after his final confrontation with Yi An, he practically disappears from existence. The drama simply forgets to address what happened to him afterward. Plot hole kingdom, your crown is slipping.

Toward the end, the relationships that emotionally worked best for me were actually the family dynamics and the side characters. Hui Ju’s relationship with her family slowly reveals itself to be far more loving than it initially appears. Early on, her father and brother seem cold, manipulative, and hostile. But later episodes reveal that much of their harshness came from wanting Hui Ju to survive in a ruthless world. Her father’s fury after she gets hurt and her brother risking his own reputation to protect her genuinely moved me. I would also like to formally apologize to Sir Brother for doubting him.

The secretaries unexpectedly became my favorite source of romance. Aide Choi Hyeon and Secretary Do Hye Jeong had more natural chemistry in a few scenes than the main couple had across the entire drama. Their relationship progression actually made sense. Watching them slowly bond after work and awkwardly show interest in each other was adorable. Also, that kiss scene? Not a camera angle trick. Not a dead fish kiss. A real REAL kiss. Thank you for your service.

Visually, Perfect Crown is undeniably beautiful. The cinematography, palace sets, and costume styling were all impressive. The OST lineup, especially songs by Sam Kim and RIIZE, was also pleasant to listen to. However, the music rarely blended memorably into the scenes themselves. I also remained deeply confused by the drama’s worldbuilding choices. One episode gives us traditional palace banquets in hanbok, the next gives Disney prince cosplay energy mixed with modern suits and gowns. Sometimes it felt elegant, other times it felt like the costume department spun a roulette wheel before filming.

In the end, Perfect Crown is a drama filled with beautiful ideas but lacking emotional depth. Beneath the luxurious cinematography and star studded cast is a story that constantly settles for clichés without fully exploring them. The romance feels underdeveloped, the political arcs feel rushed, and many character motivations remain frustratingly surface level. Still, despite all my complaints, I kept watching every week. Not because I was deeply attached, but because the drama remained an easy watch with enough pretty moments to keep me entertained. If you go into Perfect Crown without overthinking the logic or expecting layered storytelling, you may still enjoy the ride. Just do not expect the crown to fit perfectly.

Lire la suite

This is not a love story, its a story about love.

You know when you watch a gay or LGBT movie and it does not center about being LGBT, like I don't know how to best explain it, like it's not just, oh, it's a gay movie. No, it's so, so, so much beyond that. I read somewhere about this movie that it's not a love story, it's a story about love. And that whole dialogue or line, it just touches so close to me because it's such a wonderfully written movie.

One of the biggest hate comment thingy that they're getting, that this movie is getting, is that there was no kiss, there was no heavy romance, but it showed love at its purest form ever. And I loved that, yes, the main characters were guys and they were in love, but it was so much more than that. It showed a whole process of how they saved each other when they were at their lowest. It was two really, really, really good friends coming together. And even beyond them, there was their other friends and other family.

There was a scene where Ryu, the main character's parents, offered the Rumiko the same thing that her in-laws had offered her, that you can come live with us and you're always going to be family. And they both offered the same thing. Two sets of parents who were not hers offered the same thing, yet one was so much more warm than the other. And the other was actually legally binded. And I don't know what else to say.

A lot of the times people tend to reduce queer films to did they kiss, was there enough romance, was it explicit enough, but what this movie is trying to say is much quieter and much bigger. It says that love is not always loud. Love is something understanding and quiet and beautiful and warm. Love is staying and understanding, and it's becoming a home for another person. I think that's another reason why this movie feels so intimate. The relationship doesn't need constant romantic confirmation because the care is already overflowing from every scene.

It was such a beautiful movie. I don't know. The ending hit me in a really good way, but like most other times, I wish I had gotten more. I wish I had gotten to see them even more happier, but I was thinking, oh, I wish we could see them happy, but that's not even true. We did see them happy. We saw them happy. We saw them sad. We saw them go through a lot of phases and it was wonderful. This is truly a wonderful movie about love and how it really is all around us, but it's just difficult to find sometimes.

Lire la suite

Having watched about 10 episodes, it feels like watching Zhan Zhao endure mortal trials

it feels like watching Zhan Zhao endure mortal trials, with a beautiful woman as his reward.

But I'm not entirely sure; Linglong might actually die at the end since she constantly puts herself in dangerous situations. Also, while watching, I feel that the bromance/friendship between Bai Yitang and Zhan Zhao looks much more beautiful than the romance between Zhan Zhao and Huo Linglong.

I really want to praise Yang Yang for dedicating himself to the training and delivering such an excellent performance in this drama. Of course, there must have been accidents and injuries; I heard he even got injured during rehearsals before filming started. His postures and movements in this show are incredibly precise, showing immense physical training. Usually, men's bodies are quite stiff and not as flexible as women's, but in this drama, he is so flexible. His forms are beautiful and perfect, just like a man practicing yoga, yet filled with power. It’s absolutely gorgeous and highly enjoyable to watch, even though some scenes are pitch black. Why does it have to be that dark?

However, I don't really understand the script. They want to defeat the villains but refuse to kill them—instead, they wait for them to recover, go gather more backups, and then come back for another beating in the next scene. What's the point? It's like playing a video game where the difficulty just keeps ramping up. They could have just used lethal force and finished some of them off to save energy. I am totally against this kind of hero trope; it’s exhausting and makes no sense.

The female lead is cute but doesn't seem very smart. She blindly believes whatever tricks Zhan Zhao plays on her. She must be very young and naive; according to the story, she doesn't seem to be over 18. As for Zhan Zhao, I’d guess he is somewhere between 26 and 29 years old."
------------
Edit at EP 22
Now, the main lead and heroine have taken their relationship to the next level, becoming each other's special someone. Notice how he called her "Linglong" three times; it's a clear message to the audience. Given historical and cultural norms, along with Zhan Zhao's personality, he would never directly call a woman by her first name unless she was family or a childhood friend. He used to maintain distance by calling her "Lady Huo" or playfully teasing her as "Heroine Huo." But this time, he emphasized her name because after being apart for just one night, he missed her. Seeing that she had left and then returned, his joy slipped out. She wasn't surprised and didn't mention it, quietly accepting it.

It's a classic trope in historical Chinese dramas—the audience just has to read between the lines. It's truly funny but sad for this love line.

Lire la suite

sun è l' attore più bravo sul set

vi giuro non ho mai visto un bambino così bravo a recitare,spero che abbia un futuro da grande attore. ma tutti i bambini erano bravi. trama secondo me: 2 professori di nome solar e pombeck vivono una vita felice. quando solar, però attraversa la strada senzA guardare (sbagliato) viene investito e si alterna di giorno in giorno con sun, lui stesso a 7 anni. ritorna così dopo che ha avuto un trauma da incidente, allora per tornare sé stesso deve togliere quel trauma. il povero sun ha perso la madre in un incidente involontario e il padre la lasciato ma perché pensava che non lo volesse più vedere, allora è stato affittato dalla sua professoressa. alla fine c'è la fanno e costruiscono una bella vita assieme.
personaggi:
solar: insegnante super bravo,gentile,solare e non si arrende mai. super bravo con i bambini e ha consolare
pombeck: insegnante e fidanzato di solar, intelligente, ma con un trauma anche lui. è poco bravo con i bambini visto la sua scarsa pazienza ma grazie a solar riesce a capirlo meglio è diventare un bravo insegnante.
jeep: insegnate di motoria con un disturbo che porta ha voler tutto come è se no gli provoca un fastidio intenso. bravo,gentile e simpatico ma specialmente intelligente
sodchuen: la preside più amata e se fosse la mia la amerei anche io. è super brava a risolvere i problemi ma pensa poco a se stessa
la consiglio a chi piacciono i bl/gli sdolcinati

Lire la suite

✦ Perfect Crown — “Love was never the weakness. Suppression was.” ✦

(aka: I watched it, I survived it, and I’m still emotionally unemployed)

❖ INTRODUCTION: I came prepared. The drama did not care.

I came into Perfect Crown terrified.
Not because it looked bad — quite the opposite. It looked like one of those emotionally suspicious dramas that pretends to be safe while quietly setting up your downfall.

And considering certain actors’ history of “we swear this is happy but actually cry for 3 weeks,” I genuinely spent the entire runtime emotionally bracing myself like I was defusing a bomb.

Instead, what I got was worse.
A romance so emotionally coherent that I forgot I was supposed to be a detached viewer.

And honestly? That’s the problem.

Because this drama doesn’t force you to feel things. It makes you realize you already do.



❖ THEMES: Love as resistance, not decoration

At its core, Perfect Crown is not a romance.
It is a study in suppression.

The palace is not a backdrop — it is a system designed to erase individuality:
love must be strategic
desire must be hidden
identity must be controlled
grief must be quiet
And into this system step two people who absolutely refuse emotional compliance.

So the romance doesn’t feel like escape.
It feels like rebellion. And that’s where it gets dangerous.

Because suddenly:
affection becomes political defiance.



❖ CHARACTER CORE: Two people who forgot how to exist freely


✦ The Grand Prince — “a man trained to disappear”

He is not weak. He is over-controlled.
A man who could easily take the throne but has spent his entire life practicing emotional erasure:
don’t want
don’t react
don’t attach
don’t become noticeable

And all of this is rooted in loss:
mother’s traumatic death
father’s preventable death
brother’s palace fire death

At this point, his emotional stability is basically a myth maintained by repression.

So when Huiju enters his life, he doesn’t fall in love.
He destabilizes.
Because she behaves like a system error in his emotional programming.


✦ Huiju — “rebellion with emotional intelligence”

Huiju is not just “strong female lead.”
She is structured defiance.

Her ambition is not greed — it is emotional compensation:
“If I become undeniable, will I finally be acknowledged?”
And what makes her compelling is not just strength. It’s that she never becomes smaller to fit love.

Instead:
she becomes more herself while loving him.
Which is rare enough to feel suspicious.



❖ ROMANCE: Opposites → emotional mirroring → shared destruction (affectionately)

Initially:
he is restraint
she is rebellion
Classic setup.

But the writing does something far more interesting:
It removes the distance between them emotionally.

They begin to mirror each other:
both protect too much
both sacrifice too easily
both assume love equals danger
both choose others before themselves

And then comes the moment that breaks you a little:
“I wanted to divorce you to protect you.”

Which is basically the drama saying:
“Congratulations, you are now emotionally synchronized.”



❖ EXECUTION: Tropes, but make it emotionally expensive

Yes, the drama uses familiar tropes:
contract marriage
palace conspiracies
poison attempts
hidden identities
political tension

But instead of pretending to be original, it does something smarter:
It commits emotionally.
Nothing feels thrown in for shock value.
Everything feels like it had weight building underneath it.
Which is why even predictable moments still hurt.



❖ VISUAL LANGUAGE: rebellion without speeches

This drama doesn’t over-explain.
It shows.

Huiju wearing red at a royal event is the perfect example:
No monologue.
No dramatic pause.
Just defiance.
“Nobody said I couldn’t.”

And suddenly you realize:
The system only works because people obey rules that were never written.



❖ POLITICS & VILLAINS: Everyone is emotionally compromised

No one is purely evil.

Everyone is:
emotionally damaged
politically trapped
or morally exhausted

The Queen Mother is not just a villain — she is a consequence of suppression.

The Prime Minister is not just ambitious — he is ambition that consumed everything else.
And that makes him worse, actually.
Because he doesn’t fall into darkness.
he chooses it repeatedly.



❖ THE WORLD: The crown is the real antagonist

The monarchy is not glamorous. It is suffocating.

It destroys:
identity
love
freedom
and emotional honesty
Even children are bound by it.

So when abolition is discussed, it doesn’t feel political. It feels inevitable.
Like the only logical emotional outcome.



❖ EMOTIONAL CORE: Why it actually works

Everything works because nothing is sudden.
Love is not instant. It is cumulative:
fear
hesitation
protection
breakdown
attachment
repetition
So when they finally love each other openly…

It doesn’t feel written. It feels arrived at.



❖ ENDING FEELING: I thought I could move on. I was wrong.

And now we arrive at the part the drama did not warn me about:
The aftermath.

Because I finished Perfect Crown thinking:
“That was beautiful. I can move on.”
I lied.

Because now I’m here:
watching edits at inappropriate hours
replaying their gazes like they are evidence in a trial
losing emotional stability over hand-holding scenes
and developing a concerning inability to accept that fictional people are fictional

And it’s not even just nostalgia. It’s worse.

It’s the feeling that:
every touch meant something, and now it’s over.
The kisses, the hand-holding, the finger-grasping, the almost-touch moments — they don’t feel like scenes anymore.
They feel like memory fragments. And that’s why it hurts.

Because the drama didn’t just show romance. It made intimacy feel real enough to miss.

So yes.
I am crying over edits.
Yes.
I am emotionally unwell.
And yes.
I will probably rewatch everything anyway.

Because apparently I enjoy suffering with good cinematography.



★ FINAL RATING: 9/10 (emotionally irreversible condition) ★

✔ Beautiful emotional writing
✔ Strong character mirroring
✔ Visual storytelling that actually means something
✔ Romance that feels earned, not assigned
✔ Politics that support themes instead of overwhelming them

✘ Prime Minister needs consequences (legally and emotionally)
✘ Viewer may develop attachment disorder (fictional only, hopefully)
✘ Post-drama withdrawal is not included in warnings but should be

Final verdict?
This is not a drama you “finish.”
It is a drama that stays.
In scenes.
In edits.
In your brain at 2 AM.
And apparently… in your emotional stability.

Lire la suite

Nonsense in the 21st century

I apologize if you are offended by my opinion.

The drama in general was good, interesting, average, and more of the same and final duh respectively for each group of episodes.

In the 21st century and they still don't have surveillance cameras, a fire suppression system, or the restoration of the mahogany in the castle or whatever their kingdom houses are called.

They never revealed who was responsible for the death of the first King, the second fire, or the punishment of the third. How the lives of the little King and his mother ended. The end of the stratified school. As I mentioned before, a very bland ending, devoid of enthusiasm or emotion, pure speculation.

I liked how the girl's family really became a buffer and support system for her, as well as providing emotional support. Whether she was named as the heir or not is irrelevant.I loved Minister Min because he really does look like a natural Korean with his yellow skin. And don't get me wrong, but it's ridiculous that the protagonists looked at each other as if they had 4 layers of talcum powder thrown on their faces.

I also noticed the cultural appropriation more because I prefer Chinese dramas to Korean ones.

Korea is ridiculous based on its series that idealize the country and its culture as such when the reality is completely different. Actors and actresses can't even express that they're tired, much less have a partner, because they're attacked by their own fellow citizens. It's absurd how misogynistic men are superficial women...

Lire la suite

A little bit of Crown Magic for Disney

Everything is based on the 12 episode series

Perfect Crown is a show to cater to general audiences with Disney's specialty
now we all know that the art that Disney makes to create happily ever after kind a lost its magic in the past couple of years

Enter Perfect Crown, Episode 1 (in the exact 19:45) Perfect Crown brought its magic back to Disney
Grand Prince I-AN introduction is where the magic happens entering the main hall. this scene alone brought me back to what Disney is capable of doing, last time i felt this emotion was wayback the live action Cinderella transitioning and slipping the glass slippers.

Story is typical Disney with K touch
but what brought the magic the magic to the series are the following scenes
Episode 1 (in the exact 19:45) - Grand Prince Entrance
Episode 2 (in the exact 40:41) - Grand Prince help his nephew (the child king) and stood across the stage signifying the crown
Episode 3 (in the exact 01:04) - Grand Prince and Seong Hijui entered the palace after agreeing on the contract and their biggest challenge is the whole nation because of status (this scene establishes the King and Queen entering the palace)
Episode 6 (in the exact 4:50) - Grand Prince and Seong Hijui entered the stage for the grand dance and proposal
the visual on IU is just perfect for the scene,
Episode 7 (in the exact 1:4:30) - the Grand parade, this reminds me of the celebration of the star wars episode 1 , a high energy scene can put a smile to anyone
Episode 7 (in the exact 1:7:50) - The king and queen enters the palace,
This is the scene of the entire series - It shows the power of the crown, it shows the world that South Korea is still in the top of the game in culture, This signifies to the world South Korea is a power house both traditions and modern world.
The FLASHES honors the history, the King and Queen entering the Council Hall with the FLASHES as the background
The OST brings emotional Magic to the scene, The haze smoke brings nostalgia to Joseon era, the Costume Design, this scene alone is the center of the series when it comes to cinematography, If there is a rating on production i will give the perfect crown the perfect 10.
Episode 10 (in the exact 1:2:05) - Min is entering as the villain of the happy story
kind reminded me of Scar entering the scene for the first time in Lion King

Everyone has their own magic scenes because we can't deny the I-AN, Hijui, Min, Iran, has strong chemistry, specially Iran (the Queen Dowager) she has one of the best portrayal of any supporting female lead, i'm not going to be surprise if she wins the blue dragon award, that how powerful her cast is. another character is Han Dayeong the wife of taeju, her cast is a breath of fresh air and works well with the sript and story.

For OST
just start it with My Pace and end it with Free
what can you ask more, I already bought the 10 OST tracks to support the composer and artists

Everyone has their own magical episode, such the ending of episode where they kiss over the palace wall, but for me
these are the magic scenes that was for me as a cinematographer

I gave it 8.5 because all of these magic scenes, the series still have challenges
the aides were gone (i don't know what happened)
they did not make use of the other maiden that was supposed to be set up to I-AN
Seong Hijui as a CEO was not given a background how powerful her position is as CEO of Castle Beauty
When there is a Council Meeting, the topic is always about I-AN not about the crown or people

so there are some but the bottom line

the Crown gave Disney a little bit of Magic

Lire la suite

An amazing story from start to finish!~

This drama is far from perfect, especially with it's storyline but it remained satisfying and captivating for me to continue till the very end. So with that said, I'll go ahead and break my review into two main parts!

PROS: When you get first introduced to the main leads, there's a certain narrative that's being told to the audience. But soon enough, the audience gets told the actual events being unfolded and I just want to give some highlight to this specific moment. These two contrasting scenes honestly gave me vibes of "history is written by the victors" statement and it couldn't have been any more true then in that moment. I really love how this was portrayed in the story and how much this echoed throughout the entire show!

Not only was the chemistry between the two main leads were really amazing, the other couples in the shows were also awesome with each other. One thing I want to also point out is that I really like how a lot of the other couples that were shown in the show weren't taking up too much screen time. They were there, yes, but the show never made them the focal point- giving the main characters the pure spotlight they deserved!

I also want to give a little bonus note about Su Yu. With such a twist of fate, I love how he goes from someone you, as the audience (and ofc myself), can find him likeable to someone you so painfully despise yet hold the faintest of sympathy despite it all. I really enjoyed the absolute insanity he ended up driving himself into yet making him still so human. He's genuinely the epitome of human greed, regret, and desperation.

CONS: Now I have two major icks with this show and that's towards two main characters, mainly our two main protagonists. Wei Jiu and Dun Tian.

Although Wei Jiu is more of a supportive protagonist (that ends up becoming an antagonist instead), his character is very..."one trick pony" type. His overall character just felt too shallow and his character development was horrendous. There were moments where the show hinted or even went in the direction of character development with him, it suddenly does a 180 and we're essentially back to square one with him. His sudden change of character occurs at the very last episode with a very convenient time jump/pass. I really wish his character development was built more developed instead of throwing a random character change at the last second of the show :/

And Dun Tian- oh man. He's the main protagonist and I just want to point out that he's probably the lamest protagonist I've seen in a while. Like every story with some form of a villain, there's always a reason why they became the way they did and his reason is as shallow as Wei Jiu's personality.

He claims and cries to the universe that he regrets giving up his wife and kids for immortality and ya know, for a little bit, I could completely see that. After all, he lived his life trying to be righteous and he was more or less in a tough position at the time which was take the chance to kill the demon lord from the world or save your family from the demon lord and potentially ruin your one chance to kill the demon lord.

But what completely shattered this perspective and his overall motivation is when he met his wife's resentment of him abandoning her and his kids. He went on a self righteous speech towards her and how killing the demon lord was more important than them. He not only refused to take accountability for his actions but back tracks? What's even more interesting is that we get a glimpse of his life as an immortal and how he had asked one of the immortals there about his wife and kids and potentially bringing them back. The immortal told him that he needed to let go because even if he wanted to bring them back, its been HUNDREDS OF YEARS. So not only did he do nothing or find a way to bring them back but instead pester someone else about it. I was left baffled guys-

What I find really funny is during peak fight with Dun Tian, Mu Qing Ge called him out saying his reason to destroy an entire realm over a regret he supposedly had was ridiculous and borderline childish. I couldn't help myself but let out a laugh when I heard her say that.

I think they had a solid enough reason for Dun Tian's motivation but completely butchered it to be honest. If they had just fueled his regrets and obsession correctly instead of having this back and forth narrative, I think it would have been a solid 10/10 villain for me.

Lire la suite

İ love those two

This is the only version that i watched for this story, because i like the leads tbh, and i do not think I need to check the rest anyway because the story is just not my cup of tea.

However, the two leads were so adorable, this is their third collaboration, I've seen just two but i plan to watch the third, I like them together, CTK as a dorky character is just so adorable, i think he can do funny, i believe the whole topless scenes in the beginning were a bit too much and unnecessary but he kinda does that in every single drama he acts in so i guess that's his signature lol LXY is just the cutest here, i believe the story is just draggy and so cliché but it was entertaining, i barely skipped scenes and i didn't drop it even when i felt bored so it's bot that bad, and I'm glad it's a little less than 2 hrs.

Will i suggest it or watch it again?
Maybe, if you like the leads and don't .ind the lame syory, go for it, i don't think I'll visit it again but necer say never.

Lire la suite

Not a fan!

I've heard so many things about this drama but, unfortunately, it really disappointed me.

I understand that it was not romantically centered and usually I don't mind as long as the tension is there but there was nothing. The chemistry was just not there. I felt myself rooting for the SML so many times that I was actually disappointed that she chose the MML in the end. It's one of the rare times that I would prefer an open-ending instead of that.

The plot was good with the whole 'second-chance' and travel back in time but I felt that it was lacking in so many things. First of all, while in the first two episodes appeared terrified of the MML, it was easily forgotten and she acted like nothing was going on. It was pointless. It could have so much depth and character-development but the chemistry, again, was just not there. Nothing. Nada. It was only for two episodes. After that, the whole he-killed-me-first didn't even matter to her, just mentioned briefly.

The MML was a red flag, for sure. But he never actually redeemed herself. He was still controlling, threatening to kill the FML in every chance he got, he grabbed her neck and arm so many times that I felt myself slapping him. I understand that he fell in love with her first but it felt more like obsession that love. It was a no for me and usually I really like the actor in every drama that I've seen with him. Here, it was bad. Very bad.

I liked the FML because she had definitely regretted past choices and actually did something about that. I liked her calm exterior when she was treatened and the fact that she managed to help as many as she could as soon as she got the chance. She couldn't save everyone but, at least, there was hope.

But for me, it didn't do justice.

Lire la suite

It's not as shimmering like a crown

Intimacy and cuteness alone are not enough to justify a good drama. It always works better when there’s a balance of romance, drama, thrill, and a focused storyline—and unfortunately, that’s where Perfect Crown fell short for me.

I did appreciate how the drama explored the parallel worlds of monarchy and the modern life. It gave viewers a glimpse of how both worlds mirrored each other without one completely surpassing the other. However, despite being marketed as a romance drama, I felt that the story struggled to fully establish and develop the emotional connection between the leads. There were moments when even the main characters failed to convincingly deliver the romance, making it hard for me to truly feel that they were in love.

Still, I can’t deny the charm of IU and Byeon Woo Seok, along with the impressive performances of Gong Seung Hyun and Noh Sang Hyun, because they were honestly the reason I stayed invested. Plus points as well for the soundtrack—it’s been a while since we had a drama with such a good set of songs.

Overall, it was just okay for me. Not particularly great, but not bad either.

Lire la suite