Reviews

They really did shine like a star

Unexpectedly awesome. At first, I wasn’t sold on the supernatural element since it was such a major shift from what we’ve seen in the franchise before. However, once I started watching, the show blended fun and drama at its core. I’m always a fan of stories where a living person helps solve a ghost’s death, especially when it’s done right, and here, it truly works.

One of the series' biggest emotional highlights is the heartbreaking story of Do and Meen. A man who died in Dao’s condo, with his girlfriend falsely accused of his murder. The pacing and the gradual buildup of tension were handled really well. This storyline also lays the foundation for Arthit’s deep emotional arc, particularly his grief over losing his mother.

Personally, Arthit’s character was the biggest standout of the entire franchise. He completely owns this sequel, alongside Dao. I love their contrasting personalities. It makes their dynamic even more engaging. I also kept falling for Ngern throughout the show. He’s seriously H.O.T. The tattoos, the muscles, the rugged masculinity; it’s all very striking. But beyond that, his acting performance is consistently strong, which makes his character even more appealing.

What really works for the main couple is how honest and straightforward they are about their feelings. It’s refreshing to see a “dog-and-cat” dynamic that avoids unnecessary cliches and instead focuses on emotional clarity. I also loved every scene shared between Arthit and Direk. Their father-son bond brought such feel-good moments to the series.

Overall, it’s a cleverly written show with a strong cast. I genuinely enjoyed watching it. While there are occasional plot holes here and there, they’re not enough to take away from the experience. In the end, I’m just happy I got to feel the warmth of Arthit and Dao’s sun-and-star story.

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Bella atmosfera anche se limitata dal poco budget

BL molto carino ma con alcune problematiche secondo me.
Voglio iniziare dalle cose positive:
- L'ambientazione, Kowloon anni 80 e ho detto tutto. Molto interessante e affascinante, peccato però che si noti il limite del poco budget e quindi non si vede molto su questa ricostruzione di Kowloon, ma dà comunque quel plus di fascino alla storia.
- Gang criminali e poliziotti, questi temi mi intrigano sempre molto e vedere un bl con contorno queste dinamiche è bello (visto che c'è ne sono pochi). In più bella la dinamica dei due protagonisti uno studioso e l'altro in mezzo a queste gang con una vita diversa.
Ho apprezzato anche la seconda coppia anche se di fatto si vede poco e di conseguenza non ho un'opinione definitiva.
Infatti purtroppo 9 episodi sono veramente pochi per sviluppare tutto quello che hanno inserito e si necessita per forza di una seconda stagione, cosa che non mi fa impazzire e spero che esca presto. Devo dire però, che la seconda coppia ad un certo punto mi ha intrigato e incuriosito molto di più della prima coppia.
Cose che non ho amato molto sono ad esempio gli errori tecnici come l'audio o meglio il doppiaggio che è orribile e rovinano tantissimo il drama, ti smorza tante scene emotive etc. Mentre la coppia principale l'ho trovata carina ma poco approfondita (così come altre cose in realtà) e a volte velocizzata ma allo stesso tempo lenta in alcuni punti, secondo me non hanno gestito benissimo i tempi. Mi risulta forzato questo innamoramento come e quando è accaduto, non so come spiegarlo meglio. Anche le caratterizzazioni le ho trovate molto basilari.
Insomma secondo me è un drama che è stato molto influenzato dal poco budget e poco tempo per sviluppare una serie di cose, del resto so che la novel è molto lunga.
In conclusione è molto carino e secondo me vale la pena di vederlo soprattutto se si è amanti del genere, bisogna diciamo non avere troppe pretese.

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The phone calls that unravel a carefully constructed life

This drama starts off really strong; the first two episodes are gripping and set up the tension nicely. After that, it slows down a bit and drags through the middle, around episodes 3 to 7 where the pacing feels uneven and some plot threads don't land as well as they should. It found its footing again in the final stretch, with the stakes ramping up and the story pulled me back in.

The theme of family secrets is strongly explored in this drama. These secrets are revealed in a gradual, staggered manner, often triggered by the central "phone call" mechanism, which keeps the tension high. The family secrets come out as previously withheld information as well as carefully curated history with altered timelines and suppressed relationships. This is all done to maintain social status and to avoid legal and societal consequences.

The central characters are fundamentally reframed, and their motivations and moral positioning is constantly shaken up with each revelation.

The love story is sweet, but subject to high levels of tension. Initially there is affection between the couple, but it is rarely expressed freely, the couple is guarded with each other. Over time, as they experience events together, trust and intimacy grow until they are able to freely express their love. The chemistry is good between these two.

I found the ending a little, uneven and unexpected, not in concept but in execution. The male lead in particular felt slightly inconsistent in that he reverts to acting for the relationship instead of actively participating in it.

The supporting cast although solid, does just enough to maintain the story, I didn't find any one performance to be particularly great.

Overall, it's a solid watch with a compelling premise and strong moments.

7.5/10

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First-Khaotung drama. Of course here I come… Haha… Let’s talk drama…

The story follows Tiger, a debt collector sent to collect money from a struggling cat café. Despite his tough exterior, he’s actually a devoted cat lover—ironically suffering from a severe cat fur allergy. So the moment he steps into the café and realizes it’s full of cats, his heart instantly softens, and he quickly befriends the owner, Madam Meow.

Everything changes when Madam Meow suddenly collapses, leaving behind debts, a house full of cats, and her estranged son, Lynx. Before she passes, she leaves Tiger an unexpected gift—her ability to understand and communicate with cats.

Lynx, who resents both his mother and her cats, initially wants to sell the café and walk away from everything. However, Tiger convinces him to keep it running. To Lynx's surprise, Tiger turns out to be his creditor, but Tiger who turns out already charmed by Lynx decided not to let Lynx work alone, so they work together to pay off the debt.

With his new ability, Tiger helps Lynx better understand the cats, and as they manage the café side by side—dealing with finances, chaotic feline antics, and unresolved grief—their relationship slowly grows from reluctant partners into something deeper.

Overall, it’s a soft, healing slice-of-life BL about grief, second chances, and building a sense of “home”—not just with each other, but with a house full of demanding cats.

That's pretty much the story without giving anymore spoilers.

What I like:
+ Unlike most GMMTV BL dramas. This has a certain depth to the story.
+ Always love the chemistry of First-Khaotung
+ Sadly I think this will be the last drama where we can see Winny-Satang together… :(. Although I am quite curious who they'll be paired with next…

What I’m not too like:
- It said Tiger is allergic to cats. But I rarely see how being around cats affects him much… I know they just said it was itchy when he touched the cats. But still a little bit forced the story…

Overall I really love this drama….

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La BL mejor serie de Que verás

La verdad, esta serie me encantó de principio a fin. Me enganchó muchísimo desde el primer momento y cada episodio me dejaba con ganas de seguir viendo más. Sentí que todo estuvo muy bien elaborado: la historia, los personajes, la fotografía y la forma en que desarrollaron a Duang y Qin.
Los actores principales literalmente me enamoraron. La química entre ellos fue increíble, tanto en las escenas tiernas como en las intensas. Hubo momentos donde gritaba, me emocionaba demasiado y hasta me ponía a flipar con cada escena de ellos. También hubo escenas que me hicieron llorar y otras que me hicieron sentir demasiadas emociones.
Duang se convirtió en un personaje muy especial para mí, incluso como ejemplo. Me encantó su forma de ser, porque demuestra que cuando realmente quieres a alguien o deseas algo, debes luchar, persistir y no rendirte. Él lo hizo y logró enamorar a Qin de una manera hermosa.
También me encantaron sus amistades. Pae y Jamie fueron amigos maravillosos, siempre presentes. Los amigos de Qin, Tong y Kim, también me gustaron mucho, aunque siento que no tuvieron tanto tiempo en pantalla. Me hubiera encantado ver un poco más del romance entre Jamie y Mars.
Otro punto que amé fue la familia, especialmente la mamá de Duang. Me gustó mucho cómo mostraron ese lado familiar. En el caso de Qin, sentí que su historia familiar explica un poco por qué era más frío y solitario, y me gustó que al final todo se fuera resolviendo.
Además, esta serie prácticamente me abrió las puertas al mundo de Thailand, del BL tailandés y hasta del T-Pop. Las canciones me encantaron muchísimo y despertaron en mí el interés por conocer más de este mundo.
En conclusión, terminé completamente satisfecha con el final y sin duda la volvería a ver. Fue una serie que me hizo reír, llorar, gritar, emocionarme y enamorarme de sus personajes. Para mí, fue una experiencia maravillosa.
Calificación personal: 10/10. ✨

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A tratti molto bello nonostante manchi qualcosa

La storia è vista e rivista e il potere speciale del protagonista non risolve il "problema" del trita e ritrita. Tuttavia non è noioso e si lascia vedere bene fino alla fine, pur sapendo dove vuole andare a parare.
La parte triller sinceramente non mi ha appassionato. Come al solito in questo genere di Drama il Killer di turno riesce a fare robe da Navy SEALs che manco Chuck Norris, e la cosa mi innervosisce non poco (10 e lode alla regia quando riesce a legare una persona alla sedia pur avendo perso l'uso di una mano...boh).
Poi c'è la mega boiata del "ti amo ma non te lo dico e anzi cerco di allontanarti" (perché? mai spiegato...ancora 10 alla regia).
Infine una persona data per morta perché si ritrova solo la sua mano, con marito accusato di omicidio e vilipendio di cadavere (qui il voto alla regia è alto....troppo per renderlo pubblico).
Epourr nonostante questi, e altri colpi da fischi impietosi, il fatto che ti fa comunque rimanere abbastanza incollato al televisore ha quasi dell'incredibile. Infatti la cosa che più scoccia, come diversi hanno sottolineato nei loro commenti, è la pochissima chimica dei due personaggi principali. Va bene che hanno 10 anni di differenza (tra l'altro la si poteva risolvere dando un paio di anni in più al protagonista) ma se c'è amore lo devi far vedere.
D'altra parte è stata una scelta quella di creare del romanticismo tra un liceale (18 anni) e un'avvcatessa (28 anni). Però devi aspettare l'ultima puntata per vedere un bacio abbastanza serio. Troppo poco per il genere. Per cui riassumendo i pro e i contro il mio voto è 8.

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I missed something.

This drama was good enough to enjoy it, but it wasn't great. I can't really put my finger on it, but there was something missing for me. I think it was the chemistry between the couples, there wasn't enough really good chemistry. It was there, but is was too superficial.
The visuals were beautiful and the music was good.
In the first episode they used to much weird sound effects, that really was too bad, it really didn't fit.

The mains had a good NC scene in the last episode, there was more chemistry between them in that scene. The kisses of both couples were ok, but not great.

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10/10

The main character, Yeon Sieun, is one of the quiet and reserved students. He has no friends at school or outside of it, and he has no intention of changing that—he wants to focus solely on his studies. Everything changes when he meets Ahn Suho and Oh Beomseok. His reality is no longer repetitive; instead, it becomes full of adventures.

I came across this K-drama by accident a few years ago, and it hooked me from the very beginning. What intrigued me the most was Sieun, who never smiled and was cold toward everyone. He expressed his emotions through his eyes rather than facial expressions, which I found brilliant. He wasn’t physically strong, but in physical confrontations he relied on his intelligence and cleverness. Instead of using weapons, he made use of objects within his reach to attack his opponents—for example, the famous pen or a book. Suho, on the other hand, was his complete opposite. It’s fair to say he was an energetic extrovert. He stood out for his charisma, confidence, and physical strength—he trained in boxing. Beomseok, meanwhile, was different from both of them. He came from a wealthy family but wasn’t liked by his peers. He changed schools because he was bullied and couldn’t stand up to his tormentors. He had many emotions boiling inside him, which he kept hidden—deep down, he just wanted to be liked and to fit in with his classmates. That set him apart from Sieun and Suho, who lived life on their own terms and didn’t seek others’ approval. They knew that belonging to the most popular group wouldn’t change anything in their lives.

Not wanting to give spoilers, I wrote as much as I could without revealing the plot. However, I can guarantee that the series keeps you on edge the entire time. There’s no such thing as a boring episode in this K-drama—something happens in every single one. Personally, I’m watching it again because I keep coming back to it in my memories. A second season has also been released, and it’s worth watching after finishing the first. This K-drama definitely deserves a 10/10 rating.

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A Diaster in Making, Avoid at all Costs!!

Too many cooks spoil the broth, too many stories make you lose interest!!

The biggest drawback of this story is that the central characters were never introduced properly. We are dropped into the middle of a battlefield where Yan Xun reportedly backstabs his once close friend, Zhuge Yue and his supposed lover, Chu Qioa. By the time we get a rewind of the events leading to Yan Xun’s revenge, we are left tired and exhausted of his schemes. You understand the premise, you also understand his need to avenge his family, but his inconsistent decisions leave you dumbfounded. Instead of leading his Clan, he spends a major portion of his time obsessing over Chu Qioa, who oscillates between losing her memories, recovering them and then battling external forces. The three central characters spend so much time fighting with each other, that they forget their goals. Yan Xun forgets he has a kingdom to protect. Zhuge Yue is undecided about his future while Chu Qiao is first the Queen Regent of Biantang, then magically she turns into the Queen of Ximeng. You are left wondering what her exact identity is??

Read the complete article here-

https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2026/05/04/rebirth-series-review/

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Lin Qiting was sole reason i watch this.

I watched this drama long time ago for Lin Qiting sake since i quite like her show even in her Male oriented drama. Wang Qian Shuo acting sometimes hit and miss for me and this is the sole reason i quite lazy to make review for this drama and end up rewatching for memory reminisce and it still decent drama afterall.

Lin Qiting always plays smart FL (this is one of her charm). At first, I thought she was weak and always bullied by her younger sister and SML, requiring MLto protect her. But actually, she had already guessed ML's identity, yet she didn't expose him and let him play around—she's quite doting and understanding quite different from other show.

Wang Qian Shuo performance in this drama was okay to watch but not on his best nor his worst. He plays younger brother ML well but some of his scene was stiff but i forgive him since ML was not to overbearing like general duanju formula.

The antagonist is quite old school style and the actor who played SML delivers.

Recommended to watch if you have nothing to watch or want to see Lin Qiting on her dominant character.

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WHO RUN THE PALACE? GIRLS!!!

One of the best sageuks ever!

This one is a bit different from the other sageuks I've seen. It has a more tender, gentle side compared to the intense, more war-ridden energy of Jumong and Queen Seondeok. It has the same vibes as Dae Jang Geum, and in a way, the protagonists almost have the same values.

Dong Yi is intelligent, kind-hearted, yet protective and very discerning. Once she discovers something, she never let go. That's why the nickname POONGSAN hahaha. The contrast of her personality makes her character interesting, even though she's not a badass.

Jang Hee Bin, on the other hand, is a worthy opponent of Dong Yi. She's also intelligent, but ambition and greed are something that she never let go. I love how cunty she is and how firm she is with her goals. But of course, there's always a downside for wanting too much.

Queen Inhyun is a great mentor to Dong Yi. I love how supportive she is and how secure her character is. That's peak girl's girl.

Lastly, the chemistry with the king. Actually, Ji Jin Hee and Han Hyo Joo can star in a romcom and I'd watch it. Their banters are so good, they're so obsessed with each other, but there's still restraint and decency coz it's the palace lol.

Overall, I love this. Probably in my top 10 favorite k-dramas.

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Political Noir Melodrama

I was intrigued to watch this drama since the leads, and in fact the majority of the cast are well seasoned actors. I dropped it after watching episode 1-4 as well as the final episode.

What I appreciate about this drama is the attempt made to address systemic societal issues that are not usually taken on in Kdramas, especially at the prominent level of Ha Ji Won and Jung Ji Hoon.

Elite and Institutional Capture: The drama shows how political, corporate and entertainment elites form power networks where influence flows through alliances, leverage and scandal management.

Ambition: the drama explores whether success within a corrupt system is unethical in itself, suggesting that moral compromise is a requisite in such a system.

Marriage: The protagonists' marriage is used as an instrument of power, it's transactional and politically functional with image management being the face of the marriage.

Psychological Stress and Cost of Success: Ha Ji Won's character appears to be increasingly drowning in the sense that in order to succeed, she must erase herself; in order to achieve revenge, she must become what she hates. Personal cost and moral compromise are a strong theme of the drama.

Overall this drama is very brave in its undertaking of providing a critique of elite political and corporate systems and how the apex (climax) is incompatible with integrity.

I dropped this drama because I found the execution murky and sloppy; I just couldn't enjoy the world that it creates, it's a bit dark for my taste. The story it tells, however, is quite interesting I just wish it had been told better.

I gave this a 3 out of ten for the 5 episodes I watched.

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L'ambiguità dei sentimenti che si nascondono nell'abitudine

Miniserie del 2018 – ma in certi frangenti appare quasi più datata - che conta solo quattro puntate da una mezz’oretta l’una e nella quale mi sono imbattuta mentre passavo al vaglio i lavori di Kim Seon Ho, scoprendo così un breve ma delizioso spaccato sull’ambiguità dei sentimenti che si nascondono nell’abitudine.
La trama è volutamente semplice: due migliori amici, Rae Wan ed Eun Seong, dopo una notte di alcolici e frustrazioni finiscono a letto insieme. L’imbarazzo esplode, la convivenza forzata li costringe a fare i conti con ciò che hanno sempre taciuto. Sembra il classico “friends to lovers”, ma l’esecuzione è sorprendentemente matura. Le prime scene sono quasi uno slice of life spensierato, poi gradualmente emerge la paura di rovinare un’amicizia, quella domanda silenziosa: “E se non fossimo più noi?”.
Kim Seon Ho è calzante e magnetico, non saprei in che altro modo definirlo. Il suo Rae Wan è un uomo paziente, vulnerabile, che guarda Eun Seong come se custodisse un segreto che fatica a rivelare. Quando pronuncia la fatidica frase “Non riesco a togliermi il tuo odore di dosso”, non rappresenta solo un momento clou del drama, ma sancisce anche la definitiva resa di un amore che diventa visceralità. Quanto a Lee Yoo Young, la sua Eun Seong è egoista, impulsiva, a tratti insopportabilmente immatura. Una caratterizzazione che rende difficile tifare per lei (basti pensare a come ritorna, dopo oltre un anno, come se niente fosse). Eppure, forse, è proprio questo il punto: l’amore non è sempre meritato, a volte è solo qualcosa che non sai lasciare andare.

Sul fronte dei difetti, il più evidente è l’abuso dell’alcol come deus ex machina. Le emozioni più importanti nascono sempre da una sbronza, come se la sobrietà fosse tassativamente nemica dell’onestà. Pessimo messaggio.
Il salto temporale finale di un anno, poi, appare come una scorciatoia narrativa: ci viene detto che Eun Seong è cresciuta, ma praticamente non lo si vede. Questo è un po’ lo scotto da pagare per via della breve durata dello short drama. Gli va però riconosciuto che, in sole due ore totali, il drama riesce a costruire un’intimità vera e sincera, dove la chimica tra i due protagonisti si avverte tangibilmente anche nei semplici momenti di silenzio.

In conclusione, un breve drama che è più un focus sul tema dell’esplorazione e comprensione di sentimenti già abitualmente etichettati, che una vera e propria storia in sé. Nel suo piccolo ci sta e fa quello che deve. Per le due ore che richiede, l’investimento è giustificato. Un riempitivo insolito ma piacevole, ottimo intermezzo tra visioni più impegnative.

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The cutest and most heartwarming series ( (=♡ ᆺ ♡=) for a cat mother like me)

PLOT: Meow, Lynx's mother, runs a cat café. Tiger comes to collect debts, but he loves cats (despite his allergies) and is charmed. He becomes a regular at the café and grows attached to Jimbo, Meow, and Lynx (from a distance, since Lynx has taken a dislike to cats). Tiger is present at Meow's death and inherits the power to speak to cats. Tiger convinces Lynx to take over the cat café with his help, and begins courting Lynx.

+++ First and Khaotung are fantastic: beautiful, moving, tender... Khaotung even manages to act like a cat (so cute)
+++ The human cast is few but talented. The feline cast too ☆✲ﾟ｡(((´♡‿♡`+)))｡ﾟ✲☆
+++ The story is intentionally sweet (like the purring of cats), soothing. There are no villains, no violence. Everyone is kind, gentle, and considerate of others.

### NOTE: Tiger's father is NOTHING like a loan shark, even Tiger is far too kind to collect debts.

+++ The main theme explored is grief, the long and painful process of accepting the loss of a loved one, whether it's your mother or the cat who's been with you for 15 years.
+++ I have 3 cats and I appreciated the behavioral explanations.
+++ The direction is masterful: pacing (deliberately slow), beautiful visuals, effects, lighting, framing...
+++ Superb OSTs, especially "Goodbye" sung by Khaotung in episode 10, which brought tears to my eyes... and that's rare.

=> A very beautiful and heartwarming story. Recommended for anyone who is sad/depressed/anxious... and doesn't have a cat and/or a cat café nearby :)
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Le TOP de la série cute et heartwarming (pour une mémère à chats comme moi)

PLOT: Meow, mère de Lynx, tient un bar à chats. Tiger vient y collecter des dettes, mais il adore les chats (malgré ses allergies) et se laisse attendrir. Il devient un habitué du café et s'attache à Jimbo, à Meow et à Lynx (à distance car celui-ci a pris les chats en grippe). C'est donc Tiger qui est présent au décès de Meow et qui hérite du pouvoir de parler aux chats. Tiger convainc Lynx de reprendre le bar à chats avec son aide, et commence à courtiser Lynx.

+++ First et Khaotung sont géniaux : beaux, émouvants, tendres, ... Khaotung réussit à avoir un comportement de chat (trop cute)
+++ Le cast humain est réduit mais talentueux. Le cast félin aussi
☆✲ﾟ｡(((´♡‿♡`+)))｡ﾟ✲☆
+++ La story est volontairement sweet (comme les ronronnements des chats), apaisante. Il n'y a pas de Villain, pas de violence. Tout le monde est bienveillant, gentil, attentif aux autres.
### NOTE : Le père de Tiger ne ressemble en RIEN à un usurier (banquier privé ??), même Tiger est bcp trop gentil pr collecter des dettes.
+++ Le principal thème abordé est le deuil, le processus long et douloureux pour accepter la perte d'un être aimé, que ce soit sa mère ou le chat qui t'accompagne depuis 15 ans.
+++ J'ai 3 chats et j'ai apprécié les explications comportementales.
+++ La réalis° est bien maitrisée : rythme (volontairement lent), belles images, effets, lumières, cadrage,...
+++ Superbes OSTs, en particulier "Goodbye" chanté par Khaotung ds l'ép. 10 qui m'a mis les larmes aux yeux ... et c'est rare.

=> Très belle histoire, réconfortante. A conseiller à tous ceux qui sont tristes / déprimés / angoissés ... et qui n'ont pas de bar à chez près de chez eux :)

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