Reviews

Style Over Substance: A Gorgeous, Gold-Foil Shell Wrapped Around a Frustratingly Hollow Story

I have to admit, I wasn’t planning to finish The Next Prince, let alone give it a second chance. When it first premiered, I dropped it after just two episodes because it felt dull, a little irritating, and not worth my time. It was incredibly frustrating because I’d been following the project long before it aired; the teasers and pilot promised an ambitious, massive-scale royal fantasy blending political intrigue, high-stakes action, and a slow-burn romance with a sharper edge. However, given the long production delays and multiple recastings, I deeply worried the show would just lean entirely on Zee and NuNew's chemistry and intimate scenes rather than telling a strong story. I probably never would have gone back if clips of Net and JJ hadn't kept hijacking my feed; their scenes looked interesting enough to make me wonder if I'd judged the series too quickly. Sadly, my initial skepticism was spot on, and this 14-episode journey turned out to be one of the longest, most dragging dramas I've ever sat through.

To be fair, the series deserves massive credit for its absolute heap of ambition. Domundi clearly spared no expense, putting the cast through intensive training in fencing, archery, horseback riding, piano, and royal etiquette. The production value is top-tier: the sets are lavish, the cinematography is gorgeous, the costumes are elaborate, the soundtrack is excellent, and the Kingdom of Emmaly feels fully realised. Even NuNew and JJ’s musical numbers showcase the massive effort poured into making this feel like a prestige production. Unfortunately, all that polished gold foil merely covers up a script that has zero clue what it wants to be. The pacing takes a massive downward turn into a slow, repetitive crawl from episodes three through seven, completely forgetting the stakes of its own central succession competition. When the plot finally remembers to pick up around episode eight, the tonal whiplash is incredibly jarring. One moment we're dealing with serious mining protests and social oppression, and the very next, Khanin is bursting into a highly theatrical Broadway-style musical number that completely drains the moment of any real seriousness.

The core issue lies in the fundamental writing of the main characters and their relationship. Khanin starts as a brilliant, independent, and witty lead who is passionate about fencing and overwhelmed by his heritage. Then, almost overnight, that personality vanishes. He loses his edge, his curiosity about his biological father, and his rebellious streak, transforming into an immature, overly needy damsel in distress who seems far more interested in wearing silly outfits, ordering people around, and batting eyes at Charan. The romance itself feels incredibly rushed and artificial, lacking the organic development needed to actually root for them. Charan isn't given much depth either; Zee certainly looks the part of a stoic bodyguard, but his character is frustratingly thin, with no real traits outside of his loyalty and a childhood trauma involving rain. Worse yet, heavy beauty filters often smooth out every trace of expression, distracting from the performance.

Ironically, the secondary couples are given far more emotionally raw and compelling storylines, yet they face a severe screen time problem. While most BL fans complain about side couples getting too much attention, here it's the exact opposite; Charan and Khanin dominate the screen while fascinating dynamics like Prince Ramil and Paytai's trauma-bonding are systematically starved for time, alongside underwritten characters like Ava, Calvin, and Jay. The veteran cast and the moving performances of Net and JJ genuinely salvage the scenes they are in, and NuNew delivers some touching moments of grief, but they are constantly fighting an unnatural script where emotional beats are unearned. The activism feels entirely performative and surface-level, serving up ubiquitous social justice quotes as if they are profound truths. Ultimately, everything feels overly staged and artificial, from the clubbing to the market scenes. This isn't a jab at the hard-working cast, and Zee-NuNew fans will likely still find plenty to enjoy, but for me, The Next Prince stands as one of the biggest missed opportunities in Thai BL history. I sadly cannot recommend it.

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A chaotic, emotional, and breathless ride through time

Extremely chaotic, stunning, and emotionally draining masterpiece that succeeds in blending comedy with gut-wrenching angst.

The concept behind this story is simply brilliant. The main heroine, Shen Jicai, along with her family, goes through time travel and finds herself in Yong’an.

It is an absolutely amazing show that skillfully combines large-scale politics and small-scale character interactions. The show is superbly made, there’s great chemistry, and the pacing is really great, smoothly changing from funny to literally life-threatening situations.



WHAT I LOVED❤️

The main couple’s chemistry: the couple in the show, Jicai and Lin Yan, have an outstanding chemistry. The romantic tension between them is perfect.



The actress (Wang Yin Lu) playing Jicai is simply an amazing actress. I mean, I loved her acting in “Twelve Letters,” and I’m not at all surprised but, dang, she impresses me every single time.



Iconic side characters: Princess Fuhui aggressively chasing Pei Fei was absolutely hilarious (even though it ended up not being so in the end). There’s my man, Liu Chang, as well. Lol. Loved him.



With that being said, I’ll have to add that the physical comedy in this drama is phenomenal!



Found Family: It is just so touching how the Shens take in the abused slave Deyuan and the secret spy Yu San with such genuine, wholesome intentions. As well as Lin Yan.



Character Redemption Arc of Gongcai: Even though he is a complete fool, it was endearing how dedicated he was to proving himself worthy to little Yangyang.



The Soundtrack





WHAT I DIDN’T 😤



The utterly brain-dead idiotic behaviour of the Shen men: I’m sorry, but Shen Jianshe and Shen Gongcai were driving me up the wall. They are, without a doubt, the two characters with the lowest IQs on the whole script. Arrrghhh! Their total inability to know when to shut up, and their mind-bogglingly dumb decisions had me literally facepalming. Not even Fengxia was an exception in this case. Jicai deserves all the credit for handling the insanity of the entire household.



That one ungrateful quick-to-judge moment with the Shens: When Lin Yan sealed the restaurant to show fairness during the poisoning setup, the whole family quickly judged him and acted entitled. Now, the man took you into his home, fed you, and because of that single thing, he was evil in your eyes? (Oh, well somebody else did that for years and was evil in the end.)



Fengxia’s exhausting bickering: Fengxia constantly putting down and picking fights with Jianshe seemed toxic and unnecessary to me.



The “not getting wet in the rain” trope: I had to add this. It was just one scene but I genuinely hate it when this happens. When someone is standing in the middle of a torrential downpour but somehow magically isn’t getting wet.



Prince Zhao and Lin Yan. Enough Said.




Anyway, despite the fierce irritation the male family members will cause you, this is truly an amazing drama. It handles dark political themes with incredible gravity, yet effortlessly bounces back to cosy, heartwarming moments.

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The Symphony of Silence and Concrete: Why Weak Hero Class 1 Is a Tragic Masterpiece.

Most high school dramas treat youth as a vibrant canvas of possibility, but Weak Hero Class 1 paints it as an oppressive, concrete cage. While casual viewers praise the series for its visceral action sequences, the show’s true brilliance lies in its quieter moments—the suffocating silences, the hollow gazes, and the devastating psychological warfare that exists long before a single punch is thrown.
​Structurally, the eight-episode format functions as a masterclass in tight, economic storytelling. It completely avoids the narrative bloat typical of the genre by focusing intensely on the micro-shifts within its central trio. The story doesn't rely on massive plot twists; instead, it uses meticulous foreshadowing and tragic narrative parallels. The writing treats violence not as cheap shock value, but as an inescapable language forced upon teenagers who have been utterly abandoned by the adult world.
​This thematic weight succeeds entirely because of the staggering nuance in the performances. As Yeon Shi-eun, Park Ji-hoon delivers a masterfully understated performance. In a role that could easily have become a one-note caricature of a cold genius, Park uses his remarkably expressive eyes to convey a volcanic reservoir of repressed trauma and quiet desperation. He is brilliantly balanced by Choi Hyun-wook, who injects a necessary, organic levity into the bleakness, and Hong Kyung, whose slow, agonizing descent into moral corruption is the most compelling character study of the year. Together, they expose the raw, fragile vulnerability of boyhood—capturing the desperate desire to belong that can easily twist into malice when met with isolation.
​Every technical element reinforces this emotional paralysis. The brilliant, moody cinematography favors cold, washed-out tones that make the classrooms feel like prison cells, while the exceptional soundtrack evokes a profound sense of teenage listlessness. The music doesn't just score the scenes; it captures the internal despair of characters drowning in a broken system.
​Ultimately, Weak Hero Class 1 is a rare, devastating triumph. It rejects clean moral compasses and easy closures, delivering instead an honest, haunting exploration of how violence inevitably begets violence. By prioritizing profound psychological depth over superficial action tropes, it doesn't just entertain—it leaves an indelible bruise on the viewer’s psyche.

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A Brilliant Build-Up, A Tiny Payoff

(The ending was so petty.)

This drama has the ability to hook you within just a few minutes because of how well it's written, structured, directed, and presented.

Throughout the series, you'll constantly question your own assumptions. Every time you think you've figured it out, the drama throws another twist in the complete opposite direction. It keeps you glued to the screen—not because it's packed with action or thrills, but because it's incredibly confusing in the best way. Your curiosity keeps growing with every episode.

But then comes the ending.

It gives you the most underwhelming explanation possible. Even the characters literally says, *"That's it?... That was it?... That's why you did it?"* And honestly, that was my exact reaction too.

What? Seriously?

The drama takes you on an emotional roller coaster and builds your expectations so high that, in the end, it gives you... almost nothing. I wasn't expecting some mind-blowing ending, but I was definitely expecting at least one final bump instead of such a smooth landing.

As for Heo Mun Ho, I can't justify how he treated his wife. Marrying someone while still being unable to move on from another person, then spending years disrespecting your wife, is simply wrong.

However, I also don't think Lee Kang was innocent. He recognized Heo Mun Ho's biggest weakness and manipulated it. He gaslighted him, fed his obsession, and pushed him further into jealousy and irrational behavior. If someone you once loved suddenly appeared to be in danger after all those years, most people would naturally feel something. Lee Kang knew exactly how to exploit those emotions.

Overall, I genuinely enjoyed this drama. The writing, directing, performances, and mystery were all excellent. I just wish the payoff had matched the incredible build-up. The journey was amazing, but the destination felt surprisingly small.
Solid 8.5/10.

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I've only got into k-dramas this couple of months so I'm new here. but let me tell you, this k-Drama is something else, the story is something else that i never thought id get from k-dramas. i mostly watch anime only, anime have such high level of masterpiece such as A Silent Voice, You're Name, Vinland Saga, Eighty-Six and other pieces those were my top ones but man We are all trying here... its up there.
A lot of reactions that I've heard and seen is they say that in the beginning they didn't quite like Hwang dong man because of how he acts but for me i was intrigued, i was like what an interesting character why is he like that?, its so distinct and as the story goes i was like wow he's such a complicated character and then i started relating to him .
I have never seen a character that resembles me so much as Hwang dong man, he's literally me but like a more expressive version of me. from like how he acts so goofy and playful, how he thinks psychologically and mentally, how he imagined scenarios as if he's actually inside of that scene. that's me ... the only difference is how he acts so carelessly and free in public though i do act like that when I'm alone, but still. i literally bought a leather jacket after watching the series inspired by his coat(lol)
And overall the story yeah as I've said i put it out there in my absolute masterpiece list. its a masterpiece that inspired me to start writing something like this. the funny thing is i have never written a story -_-

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Good And Bad Sides

The Plot vs. The Chemistry: When a script is a complete trainwreck full of incomprehensible plot holes, the entire production essentially rests on the shoulders of the main leads. If their physical chemistry—amplified by that top-tier, classic height difference—is off the charts, it creates a powerful distraction. You end up ignoring the nonsensical writing just to watch them share a frame.

The Solitary Sane Character: Having an entire cast of characters who have seemingly lost their minds, except for one lone sane person on the male lead's side, is a hilarious but common trope. That one character usually becomes the audience surrogate, looking around in absolute disbelief at the chaos surrounding them.

Talent Wasted on Chaos: It is both a blessing and a curse when the casting is phenomenal and the main leads deliver powerhouse acting. On one hand, their talent saves the show from being entirely unwatchable; on the other hand, you can't help but wish their incredible acting had been utilized in a masterpiece rather than a chaotic, messy plot.

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Three Years Later!?!?!?

For the most part, this was a nicely executed drama. The medical part gives you a lot to think about. The romance was slow and depicted realistically. Ji Sung (one of my favorite actors) and Lee Se Young had very good chemistry. I did enjoy watching their relationship develop.

I was disappointed in the “3-years later” direction the story took in the last episode. So much time was spent in this drama telling quality stories of each person’s pain or end of life issues. The writer failed to fairly deal with 1) the real struggles Yo Han was facing at the Cleveland clinic and 2) the emotional consequences Yo Han should have faced from So Young. Shutting her out for 3.5 years didn’t protect her. He robbed her of her desire to be by his side (to love him) through the difficulties he was going through. He robbed himself of the healing power of her love and presence during that time. Yo Han was the one who said without pain there is no life. The writer made this honorable, mature, reasonably realistic man out to be a liar. As much Si Young loved him, he gave her every reason not to trust him with her heart after that. I was pretty angry after investing 15.5 hours of a pretty great drama for the last 35 minutes to do this to me! I was going to give this drama a 9.5 but, frankly, the last 35 minutes were an insult to my intelligence not to mention my emotions.

The OST complimented the drama very well. I added Way Back and Look At to my playlist I liked them so much.
I will recommend this drama to anyone who likes medical dramas.

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It was ok, but not something I'd watch again

I think something the drama struggles with is development in the characters other than the lead couple. In particular Eric Seo. He was supposed to be the second male lead but honestly he felt more like a side character who didn't really contribute to the plot. I found it cringe how he fell in love with Dam Ye Jin instantly and most of his scenes came from him getting rejected. Also I wish there was some proper closure between him and Ye Jin, I honestly don't know why she didn't tell him that she was dating Mechoori.

Another character who got very little exposure is Jin Yi. I feel like she was supposed to have a bigger impact on the story but she didn't do much. She confessed her feelings to Mechoori, but we weren't given into any insight into why she fell for him or the backstory between them. Their relationship came off as very shallow and at the end of the show, they gave her a romance plot with the dude at HIT, which there was no reason and seems like a consolation prize.

There were about three love lines in the drama apart from the main couple, but they lacked proper development and it felt like the drama was just shoving romance down our face for the sake of it. The characters fell in love almost instantly and it didn't come off as genuine. I didn't really care for the other couples because honestly they didn't do much.

Something else I want to mention is I feel like they showed the whole villain arc way too late (like pretty much last ep?) I feel like they should have done a better job building up the villains or at least foreshadowing them instead of leaving them to pretty much the last ep. There was a clear struggle between balancing developing romance between the leads and developing the villain plot.

A drama that does this really well, and I think Sold Out on You should have learnt from, is Queen of Tears. Queen of Tears does an excellent job in building up the villains as well as building and developing the relationship between Hyun woo and Hae in.

The standout for me would be the leads, Mechoori and Ye Jin did a good job acting. I enjoyed the romance between them but there weren't any moments that made me particularly invested and I ended up fast forwarding many parts.

In conclusion, I think you should watch it if you have nothing else to watch.

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This was the most realistic drama i’ve watched even with just 2 EP released

The drama was so good. The acting, the dialogue, the casting, the delivery of each emotions even with micro-expressions. I loveeeeee it. The story is being served at a right pace. It is fun to watch. I think this series and the perfect casts makes others jealous, i just know that this series will be successful not only in the queer community but the general audience. The director made a good decision on how to deliver the story from the novel to a series without making it so explicit but at the same time not far from the original. This will make the general audience tune in.

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Great ML and cool premise/concept but wasted on corny acting from certain cast members.

Writing this in 2026 might not seem fair, but this drama aged terribly. I love games and I watched this show because I love the premise, and I think the story delivered. There were a lot of sweet moments but the acting from the female cast is quite terrible which breaks my immersion. Both Zheng Shuang and Mao Xiao Tong are gorgeous, but Yang yang's passionate kisses are totally wasted on Zheng Shuang given that she acts with the open eye shock and zero response during their alone-scenes.
The wardrobe team also doesn't do a great job but I will not fault them on this since fashion and drama style changes.
Production quality is pretty ok, and cinematography is a pass. The acting at times are sometimes over the top (especially from the females), and it's a bit cheesy and corny to watch since no one in real live acts like this.

From a pacing perspective, the earlier episodes were more interesting and the last 10 were a drag, I watched them in 1.5x speed. Not interesting and no story.

This is a personal take, but I also was quite uncomfortable with how emaciated the FL looks :(

It's hard to give this drama more than a 7. I found myself struggling to get past the next 10 eps. I still think the pacing and plot is not too bad, but this has unfortunately not aged well for a 2026 watch.

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One of Those Rare Dramas..

I started watching this with zero expectations, and it completely delivered. Every episode kept me hooked. I was so curious to see their relationship grow, and I found myself constantly thinking about what life must have been like back then and trying to understand things from their perspective. That's how well-written the characters are.
At first, I thought it would be about a court lady falling in love with the king, but as the story unfolds, it feels much more like the king's story and everything he had to endure.
The moment that dream scene happened for the second time absolutely blew my mind. And the way the show ends makes everything click into place.
This is such a beautiful drama, and it's officially joined my list of shows I wish I could erase from my memory just so I could experience it for the first time all over again. ✨

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