Reviews

The dating pool it’s fighting for its life?

Okay so as a big fan of this show i think i might share my opinion on this season. I consistently watched season 1 , was a little disappointed but still it was a nice season overall considering the fact that its a totally new kind of show in korea. So when i saw that season 2 is coming iknew i will definitely give it a look. I just finished first 4 episodes and there are many things i want to talk about. First of all i prefer the cast much better this season people are more open talkative and very diverse i would say. I love that they bring all the people immediately so the game changers could still have a chance to fit in and do something. I love Su ji , my girl is doing amazing but obviously the men are not trying enough since everyone somehow is interested into her but no one shows it😭😭. I think jae so is the cringiest and most hilarious person out there but definitely not ready to date someone since he prioritizes chasing bigs over girls😅😅 still i love waching him hahah. Then hyuk joon is the most interesting man for now and peopel would say contraversional person and i want to comment the whole situation with him and the deep voice girl forgot her name sorry. So apparently he was inti her since the beginning and i really appreciate when men are consistent and honest when it comes to dating but you cant gain feeling in 1 or 2 days so people should understand if someone is interested in someone else that doesnt mean its love its just attraction and attraction could be gained anytime . So when he said that he want to keep his options opened and try to talk to other girls its completely notmal and understandable bc ithers are showing interest in him so he might be attracted when he get to know them better. He said he is only attracted the taht girl bc he hasn’t talked to anyone else yet so its normal to not have other people in consideration yet but it can be changed and its gonna be changed for sure. And girls who support the deepvoice girl are insane like how tf you hate hyuk joon for considering other options now but saying its fine to lie about a stupid thing like why lying to him i dont get it and even when she has a chance to come up with the lie on the speed date she just avoided it. And i agree on the part when he was worried bc she didnt even notice his fever yeah i get its not that big of a deal but when yoy like something its just tok natural to look for that person in detail like you will notice every single thing on him what he wears eats or does so he does has rights in this one too. And i am really glad that he decided to give other girls a try as well. The only thing i dont like about hyuk joon is what he said about su ji, that she is definitely not an option for him bc he thinks she is immature but he cant say that without knowing her . Like he sees her acting a little but he never got to know her on a deeper level to say she is immature cus people always bring the picture of themselves that they want to be seen by others not the real one. And i am not saying that he is right or wrong about that since i dont know her either but i know that he is wrong about judging the book by it covers . When we cane to the su ji and hyuk joon topic i am really rooting to see a date of both of them and maybe he change his opinion and somehow they end up together but i know this is just too good to be real and its in my fantasy but if somehow it happens i just want to share this before and be proud after but i definitely want him to end up with soneone else than deepvoice girl. Sorry about names again i just didn’t remember everyones name its too much for me 😭😭 . The bob cut girl is really cute i was constantly rooting for her but she is so unlucky with boys she got or the boys are just so childish and dumb since almost every single girl is too good for all of them. Hope she might gets allng with the guy she matched with on day one . And when we arrived on him, the laughing guy which is really popular bc he is funny and easy to talk with i just have mixed feelings with him. Its kind of really contradicting person bc he say something then does completely different thing and ghen he is confused about the outcome and others . Like gurlll he is type of person who chase person who shows interest in him and when multiple people do that he just dont know what to do and messes everything up . Maybe he doesnt listen to himself to his heart like just go with your feeling it doesnt matter if the person is attracted to you or not bc if you just date without being attracted it would work out at all at the end. Hope he will understand what he si doing is wrong and he will change that there js still time for that🤞🏻🤞🏻. Han ju is another girl i like she is type of girl that she know what she wants and she is going for that and i love it. Like she always gives others a try but focusing on people she see her future with and i guess its too hard for others to be like her when they dont know themselves that well yet so its much harder to find a partner and i think that the major problem for them why they are eternal singles not for alm of them ofc. The person i want to mention that its not ready to date is seo yoon bc i dont think she knows what she wants truly and she just dont know herself yet. Thats not bad at all, some people realize themselves when they get older some when they are very young so it really depends on a person. And about her the fact that she said that her type might be younger boys bc she likes to listen to kpop idols that are younger is definitely a funny and insane thing. Like gurll if you like their music and look that doesnt mean you would like someone younger bc they are younger . Like people wouldnt pook like them even when they are younger. And still dont get the thing about age why age matters like people could be immature even if they are older can look good when they have more age it really depends thats why i just dont thing age matters in terms of loving someone . And i know a crazy age gap is not normal but its obvious that they are all around same ages like no crazy age gaps . And i was a person who defended people who say taht looks matter zbut i can definitely say that looks matter but personality is the one who makes people stay so like its important to have both of them cus otherwise there is no point of dating people thats why there are friends too . All in all it was very cringe and hilarious but entertaining at the same time so i will finish it ofc and definitely write an update when otehr episodes come out . And please dont reply say g i am wrong bc this is my opinion so its subjective but i tried to talk as objective as j could on the show.🙂

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No tea, no shade, but this show wasn't that good and was severely overhyped.

I started watching this when it first aired, but I put it on hold until all the episodes were released. I picked it back up, then dropped it again because it was way too draggy, and the constant push-and-pull just didn't make sense. A few months later, I picked it up again because I hate leaving dramas unfinished, and new issues arose.

After a few more episodes, around the middle of the drama, I started feeling like the relationship and romance were way too one-sided. Yes, it was pretty obvious that they both loved each other very much. However, she learned about and even witnessed the many things he did for her and the countless ways he showed how much he cared, and she's just... I can't even put into words what I think of her character during that specific period. The words I want to use to describe her would make me sound mean. Anyway, I got past that since I guess they wanted to write San Yan as someone who deeply yearned for her.

Then I directed my attention to the second couple... Oh brother. I genuinely was not feeling their acting. I don't think it's a matter of whether they can or cannot act; I personally just didn't like their performances.

Another thing I DID NOT like was the styling in this show for any of the female characters; neither the female lead nor the second female lead. The second male lead was dressed sloppily as well. I honestly think the entire styling budget went to Jing Ting because he was the only person who consistently had well-fitted clothes.

They also did a poor job handling the female lead's trauma and mental health overall. That girl didn't only suffer from sleepwalking. Come on now, you're simply playing in my face. Furthermore, the rapist, the rape apologist, the classist stepsister, and the spineless mother were handled even worse. We saw that these characters were absolute monsters. We witnessed everything they did to the female lead and all the scars they left behind. Yet when it came time for them to face consequences, everything was wrapped up far too easily, especially for the aunt, the mother, and the stepsister.

I also wish they had put more effort into the storytelling surrounding the characters' careers. The way it was written, their jobs felt like nothing more than plot devices to create scenes, give the male and female leads an excuse to meet outside of town, wrap up another character's storyline, or introduce a new character. I'm mainly referring to the female lead's job as a journalist. Here's the thing: most of the time she was in the office instead of out in the field. The stories and exclusive interviews seemed to come directly to them rather than them actively seeking them out.

Anyways, outside of the romantic segments and the friendship scenes between the male lead and his friends, as well as the female lead and the second female lead, I found most of the writing to be boring.

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Feel good movie

One of the few things we wish for when watching vertical dramas nowadays is the ability to watch them without getting too stressed. Most of the time, we just want to relax and get the break we truly deserve.
I wasn't actually planning to watch this because I already had two or three other movies lined up, but I accidentally clicked the link! ⁄⁠(⁠⁄⁠ ⁠⁄⁠•⁠⁄⁠-⁠⁄⁠•⁠⁄⁠ ⁠⁄⁠)⁠⁄

However, once the drama started, I just couldn't give it up. Of course, it features your typical mind-reading trope; specifically, the "broadcasting my thoughts to the right people" concept- but the warmth of it really stuck with me. It has a certain charm (perhaps only to me, hehe) that I can't quite put my finger on. Again, while it relies on a typical trope, they made it so memorable that if you see either of these actors in the future, you'll immediately think of this drama and how well their chemistry worked.

I bet we will all agree on that specific scene of Huang Hao Wen as one of the iconic moves in the history of chinese vertical dramas. If you know, you know. (⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠)

I have to admit that this specific movie became the reason and the gateway for me to start watching their other dramas. I truly hope they get to work on another project together—perhaps not exactly like this one, but something family-oriented and just as stress-free to watch. This drama has the warmth of those Hallmark films we used to love. It's endearing in its own way.

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Simple RomCom with a hint of Mystery and Murder

I usually take notes while I'm watching a drama so I can remember what happened throughout, but I went through this one so fast I forgot to to leave myself a single note. I don't have much to say about this. I was watching this the last few weeks while also dealing with the untimely passing of my father. It was a nice little escape.

The cast was great. There wasn't anyone I disliked except for the FL's mom, but that was the whole point of her character. She plays terrible mom really well.

ML was cute. My mom, who wound up watching some with me, pointed out he does a lot of acting just with his face and eyes and I couldn't agree more.

It was nice that this drama had a little extra with the whole murder story line. Definitely a curve ball or two when it comes to that. Overall, an easy and exciting watch.

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Tell Me What You See.... (Major Spoilers Ahead)

It was good but not extraordinary......From the start I kinda knew what was actually happening behind all the delusions he created so it was quite predictable, but maybe not for everyone considering how people were still shocked to see the plot twist.
He was totally out to get the professor from the start. Also,It became more and more evident to me that he was fabricating everything, the further the story progressed.

If you carefully take a moment to analyse, you'll realise that he never got involved in the KIM family's whole tragedy that he wrote except for one time when he admitted to putting the scarf in the housekeeper's bag. Which shows that although he seemed heavily involved into the whole tragedy, he was actually not involved at all. He was only fooling the viewers. He did not create alterations and he did not became the reason at any point in the story where things went the way they went. Because the sole destruction of KIM family was the plagiarism and any events surrounding that had no hand of Lee Kang at all into making the truth being discovered by the whole family, eventually leading to their death (supposedly).
Moreover, the professor never saw any of it unfolding irl except the accident, in which he was not at all involved into finding evidences or the truth. He believed all he was told to believe. That's how they blurred the lines between reality and imagination.

Why is it evident that he was out to get the professor?

Because everything he did rather led to the destruction of professor's whole life. Where every gradual event was supposed to be a strike at KIM family, it was in reality, being a strike towards the professor. It was not just how he made prof. lose his mind but was predominantly how he was silently breaking his life, his career, his family relations until nothing more is left. He gradually hooked the prof. into doing things which will slowly destruct his life in the name of writing a masterpiece. His intention was never to write a story, he was not interested in the slightest, all he wanted to do was to bring the prof. closer to the trap he had carefully crafted.

Why I could spot it and how you could have done too?

Rather than focusing on what is being told and taught to you, what the other person wants to express to you.....you need to question every single action and intention that is surrounding it.
Rather than believing what seems to be happening , you need to look closely and see what is actually happening. This is important in today's world where truth is often far away.

To illustrate this, if I tell you right now to look around in your surroundings for 1 minute and note all the red-coloured things in your head. Now I ask you to close your eyes and tell me....what was the closest green-coloured thing lying around you? You won't be able to answer because, I shifted your whole focus on the red and you forgot that you had to analyse every part, every action and every intention.

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Funny>Drama>Emotional>Romance

Sweet lil Melo with it's funny and emotional moments.
I was about to rate it 8.5 stars towards the end, but ended up rating it 8, as that's what it felt like all along. I liked the ending and some other arbitrary reasons were making me rate a lil higher (~8.25) but I think 8 should be fine for this.
The story is okay with its twist and turn with some emotional moments as well. The funny side characters were also landing the scene most of the time. The editing was good too, Hence I had no major complaint. Overall, the series kept me engaging enough that I enjoyed the good parts and wasn't too bored at the weakest parts.
I especially enjoyed the FL, who I saw for the first time in this drama. Her acting and charm made me stick to the episodes when I was about close and get up. The ML was okay too. Not to mention some side characters were also quite funny.
As for some of the criticism of the people who rated it quite low, I couldn't make sense of them at all honestly. Their reasons seemed to me extarnally influenced mostly. I could understand someone who would rate it as low as 7, or even 6 in some extreme cases, but over all this series avg should be around 8 honestly.

In the end, I would recommend it as a good and fun one time watch !

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Flawed, but I Fell in Love Anyway

I fell in love with this show so unexpectedly. I went into it thinking it would be just another rom-com, but it ended up being so much more than that. There are deeper and sadder things going on underneath all the romance and fluff, and I genuinely enjoyed it so much. It’s definitely a drama I can see myself revisiting because it isn’t just a typical lovey-dovey rom-com. It’s fluff, angst, sadness, yearning, and eventually a happy ending—and I loved it.

The show is definitely not without its flaws. The editing can feel quite choppy at times, and there were moments where I genuinely felt like something was missing. Certain parts could have been written or directed better, and some things weren’t wrapped up as nicely as I would have liked. I heard the drama was originally supposed to be 32 episodes but was cut down to 29, so maybe that explains some of it. I’ll give it that. Despite all of these issues, though, the drama is still so beautiful—and the chemistry carries it so well that I can overlook almost all of its flaws.

Now, the star of this show for me: Lu Xiaxiao. THAT MAN YEARNS. He reminded me of Sang Yan in the best way possible.

His character genuinely surprised me because I fully expected him to become a red flag. After everything that happened, especially after ten years apart, I expected a revenge arc. I expected him to hate her, punish her, or make her suffer. But he never did. He was the biggest green flag. He loved her through everything. He gave her chance after chance. He stood by her no matter what she did. Even when he said he would make her cry and make her regret leaving him, he could never actually bring himself to hurt her.

Even after ten years, he couldn’t hate her. He always loved her. He always forgave her. He always stood by her side. He did exactly what he had always said he would do: if she was willing to come back to him, he would forgive her.

I LOVED that.

He was never stubborn for the sake of creating unnecessary conflict. He was always there for her. But at the same time, my heart broke for that man SO badly, and a huge part of that is because of Daniel Zhou’s acting. I’ve watched him before, but never as the main lead, and honestly—give that man ALL the roles.

He moved so naturally between being a loving man, a yearning man, a successful and mature man, and then suddenly this childish, funny, playful character. At the same time, he was able to portray someone deeply depressed and broken. He had so many amazing scenes, but one of my absolute favorite scenes of the entire year has to be when he was dancing under the fireworks while hallucinating that he was dancing with her. That scene had SO much depth. The acting, the emotions, the visuals—everything was amazing. I loved it so much.

His pain also made complete sense to me. He had already been abandoned as a child, and that was a scar that never truly healed. Then the person he loved most chose to leave him too. It wasn’t exactly the same as what his mother did, but to him, it felt like being abandoned all over again. It completely broke him, and Daniel Zhou portrayed that brokenness so beautifully.

The phone call scene absolutely destroyed me. When he told her, “If you say you love me, I’ll forgive you,” and then later said he would make her regret it… Oh my God. His acting was incredible.

Also, his styling in this drama? Beautiful. I genuinely enjoyed seeing him on my screen so much.

As for Bao Zhuowang, I loved her character too. I know a lot of people blamed her, but I always understood where she was coming from. I kept trying to put myself in her shoes, and because of that, I could never hate her for the choices she made.

One line basically explains her entire character and everything that happened: “I’m only 18. I can’t do this anymore.”

She was SO young.

After the stabbing, everyone came at her—the grandfather, the mother, the father—and everyone told her that they shouldn’t be together. She blamed herself for him getting hurt, and she was left completely alone. In her mind, the best way to protect him was to move away from him. She had no one supporting her, and she was already so broken that I understood why she made that choice, even if it was painful and even if it wasn’t necessarily the right one.

I actually loved that, in this relationship, she was the red flag and he was the green flag. It was such an interesting dynamic, and somehow it worked so well.

Her acting was also very good, especially during her more emotional scenes. The scene where she got hurt was amazing. There were a few moments where I wanted a little more from her, but whenever she had a truly heavy scene, she delivered. Her funny scenes were also great, and she is just SO cute and beautiful.

And THE CHEMISTRY.

Oh my God.

The chemistry is genuinely what carries this show. I don’t necessarily think the drama itself is a perfect 10 because I do have issues with it, but the chemistry carries it SO well that I can overlook those issues and still give it a 10. They were electric together.

I absolutely DEVOURED the first part of the drama when they were young and still in school. I loved the high school arc so much. It was fun, sweet, emotional, and so enjoyable. More than anything, it really made me feel like I was watching these two people grow up together.

One of my favorite lines from him when he comforted her when her grandma died, he was telling her it’s OK. I will grow up with you instead.

That line perfectly captures their entire relationship. This really feels like a love story spanning more than ten years because we actually watched them grow up together. We saw their youth, their love, their separation, and then who they became as adults. Although I do think ten years apart was a little too long for the story—maybe five years would have worked better—I still loved their journey.

My biggest complaint is that I simply didn’t get enough of them. I wanted SO much more. I wish we had more scenes of them together because I genuinely could have watched another ten episodes of them just being happy and lovey-dovey. Their chemistry was that good. Also talk about a well made ending. Very beautifully done… especially when they addressed the audience directly. 

I also wish we had seen a little more of his “hate” era. Since the show teased the idea that he would make her regret leaving him, I think that part could have lasted a little longer if the drama had more episodes. But at the same time, I also love that he could never truly hate her. That was completely true to his character.

The side characters, unfortunately, weren’t that interesting to me. I didn’t really care about most of them, and some of the parents were genuinely annoying. I also didn’t love the brother’s character, although I do want to see more from the actor. I don’t think his acting is amazing yet, but I definitely think he has potential.

Some storylines also weren’t wrapped up properly or were resolved too quickly. There were moments where the drama seemed to just fast-forward through things, and I wish those parts had been handled better. Still, the show did such a good job of making me feel like I had genuinely witnessed their entire journey—from youth to adulthood—that I became incredibly attached to them.

There are also SO many beautiful scenes in this drama. The cinematography was gorgeous in certain moments, and some scenes had a surprising amount of emotional depth.

And the OST? OH MY GOD.

There are at least three songs that I absolutely love. The music made the emotional scenes hit so much harder and added so much to the atmosphere of the drama. I genuinely loved the OST.

I also really liked the costumes. I noticed that some outfits were repeated, which actually made the drama feel more natural and realistic. People repeat clothes in real life! It gave the characters a more believable, lived-in feeling.

The story itself is honestly nothing especially new or groundbreaking, but I would still absolutely recommend giving this drama a chance. It gave me one of my favorite couples of the year, so many memorable scenes, beautiful cinematography, an amazing OST, and a romance with genuine emotional depth.

You can also tell how natural the chemistry between the cast is. After watching some of the behind-the-scenes content and their variety show appearances, I genuinely get the feeling that they had so much fun filming this drama together, and I think that natural connection came through on screen.

This show has flaws. There are things I would change, things I wish had been explored more, and things I wish had been wrapped up better. But I loved it anyway.

The chemistry was electric. The yearning was everything. Lu Xiaxiao completely stole my heart. Their journey made me feel like I had grown up with them, and I already know I’m going to miss them.

Definitely one of my favorite couples of the year—and a drama I would absolutely recommend.

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When Light Fades, Hope Remains: A Deeply Moving Journey Through Love, History, and Resilience

Three episodes in, and When Light Fades has already become one of those rare stories that quietly settles into my heart.
Every season brings dozens of new dramas. New faces, new romances, new stories that promise to be unforgettable. Most of them leave an impression for a little while before slowly fading away. But every now and then, a series comes along that doesn't need to be loud to be heard. It simply reaches you. Somehow, When Light Fades did that from its very first episode.

What continues to captivate me isn't just the story itself, but the way it's told. There is a quiet confidence in its writing. It doesn't rush emotions or force dramatic moments simply for the sake of making the audience react. Instead, it allows every silence, every conversation, every lingering glance, and every small gesture to carry its own weight. It trusts us to feel alongside the characters rather than telling us what to feel.

Perhaps that's why every episode lingers with me long after it ends.

One of the aspects I admire most is the way the series intertwines fiction with history. Choosing to set this story against the backdrop of one of Thailand's darkest chapters—the aftermath of the 6 October 1976 Thammasat University massacre—is both courageous and meaningful. History here isn't simply decoration; it shapes every decision, every fear, every dream these characters hold onto. It serves as a reminder that behind historical events were real people whose lives were forever changed by injustice, violence, and the hope that someday things could be different. I deeply appreciate the care with which the series approaches such an important part of Thailand's history.

The relationships are equally compelling.

The connection between the two leads isn't built through grand declarations or dramatic confessions. It's something much quieter, something that grows naturally through trust, understanding, and the unspoken emotions that exist between them. Some of my favorite moments are nothing more than two people exchanging a glance that somehow says everything words cannot. Those are the moments that stay with me.

The friendships feel just as authentic. These characters are fighting for justice, equality, and a future they believe in, all while trying to hold onto their own dreams. They don't always agree with each other. They argue, misunderstand one another, and sometimes allow fear or frustration to get the better of them. But when everything begins to fall apart, they always find their way back. They continue to stand beside one another, reminding each other that even in the darkest moments, no one has to carry the weight alone. There is something profoundly comforting about that.

The performances deserve every bit of praise.

Lhongchang delivers an astonishing debut performance. If I hadn't known this was his first acting role, I never would have guessed. There is such sincerity and vulnerability in the way he portrays Rawin that every emotion feels genuine. Nothing feels exaggerated or artificial. His performance is quiet, deeply human, and incredibly moving. I truly hope this is only the beginning of what will be a long and successful career.

Bas did great as always. He has a remarkable ability to communicate so much through the smallest expressions. His portrayal of Yue feels gentle, thoughtful, and emotionally grounded. Rather than overshadowing his scene partner, he elevates every shared moment between them, allowing their relationship to develop with remarkable authenticity.

The supporting cast deserves just as much recognition. Every character feels important, every performance feels sincere, and together they create a world that feels alive rather than simply existing around the protagonists.

I also want to applaud everyone behind the camera. The directing, cinematography, editing, soundtrack, costume design, and overall atmosphere work together beautifully. Nothing feels excessive. Everything serves the story. You can genuinely feel the passion, care, and respect that the entire cast and crew have poured into this project.

What When Light Fades has given me so far is exactly what I hope to find every time I begin a new drama.

It has made me smile, laugh, cry, and sit in silence while processing everything I had just watched. It has frustrated me with the injustice these characters are forced to endure, only to restore my hope through their resilience and unwavering belief in one another. There are moments so quiet, so intimate, that they leave me with goosebumps—not because anything extraordinary happens, but because the emotions feel so profoundly real.

To me, that is the greatest strength of storytelling.

Not creating perfect characters, but creating people whose joys begin to feel like your own, whose heartbreak hurts, and whose hope becomes something you quietly start hoping for as well.

Only three episodes have aired, and I already know When Light Fades will stay with me for a very long time.

To Lhongchang, Bas, every member of the cast, the director, the writers, and every single person who worked behind the scenes—thank you for creating something so sincere, thoughtful, and emotionally rich. Thank you for telling a story that treats both its characters and the history that shaped them with such care.

I cannot wait to continue this journey.
10/10.

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A match made in hell

A disempowered woman seeks a relationship dynamic where she can feel wanted, and in power. This is what the age stuff is really about- younger people tend to look up to those who are older, and she clearly had an advantage in the relationship with the boy compared to that of her boyfriend who was an abusive, ugly, angry slob. It doesn’t justify how she seduced the high school kid though- that scene in the karaoke booth was incredibly disturbing- to think that she would do that to a kid who’s never had experience with that, and it’s just taking advantage of the power dynamic- but yeah it becomes a match made in hell really. With the kid who has been traumatized by that early sexual encounter and abuse by her, he acts out the unresolved trauma of the boundary violations later. Sexual abuse always results in rage and unresolved anger in the victim, no matter how much it is denied, and the poor kid uses that same act back at her to try to regain control. His life becomes confused, as she injects her own confusion into it. It is a sad predicament- and yeah even though she seem to be together in the end, is it really a choice, or grooming by the abuser? I can understand the feelings of the disempowered, invalidated woman, but I also understand the feelings of the victim and this is not a match made in Heaven, that’s for sure. Dysfunction begets more dysfunction.

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Laughter, Comedy, and Variety of Expressions

This drama is all-in-one consisting comedy, drama, and a lots of expression. Every single episode contains good comic relief to a bit of melancholy. Each and every actor has done a great job. The cooking scenes add much more flavour to the episodes.

As usual, Park Jihoon has done a fantastic acting, understanding the character well. His character, Kang Seong-jae, is such a sweet and fun character. Starting as a depressed rookie to a confident cook, shows the great portrayal of a good character development.

For me, it was such an entertaining series, I enjoyed every bit of it. Hoping that they make another season of it.

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