Loved the tension
Not a huge fan of horror movies but this one just did it for me. Loved the atmosphere.1st season was overall the best, which is based on the Webtoon, so the storyline is comprehensive without unnecessary fillers. Focuses more on the main character and the moral dilemma of what it means to be human. The focus branches out in later seasons to other characters and you sadly don't see him for a few episodes straight.
Song Kang did a great job. Watched this immediately after Love Alarm came out, his acting duality is striking.
Go Youn-jung played a badass role, fell in love.
The CGI was lacking in some scenes but the acting compensated for it.
Cried a few times.
The outro is a banger.
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Tons of great characters, minus 1
This might just be the only drama with a large cast where I thought all of the characters had interesting stories and personalities. A lot of times I sigh and power through scenes with side characters but here I actually looked forward to seeing most of them. I mean I even liked her crazy obsessive first(ex? non?) husband a ton. ML still wins the prize for best character though. He was mischievous, funny and intense. He’s completely devoted to FL(do I get it? Not really but I expect no less from a ML). Sadly the character who was lacking was a very important one, FL. FL has very little emotion, little personality, few expressions. Now pair this with this drama’s big flaw- we don’t get deep enough into any character’s mind, and you get a FL who doesn’t give much. I mean, FL became two people and it was just business as usual? No explanations or insights into how she felt or how it affected her? Nothing?! It’s baffling to get past, but the rest of the characters held this drama up for me despite FL and all the missing informationWas this review helpful to you?
One of the Worst Chinese Dramas I've Ever Watched
I regret wasting my time on this drama. It started with an interesting premise but quickly turned into a frustrating mess. The plot is full of forced misunderstandings, unnecessary drama, and terrible decision-making. The main character constantly gets pushed around instead of acting intelligently, making it difficult to root for him.The romance feels forced and repetitive, with the same conflicts happening over and over again. Many side characters are annoying, and several storylines go nowhere. The pacing is painfully slow, especially in the middle episodes, and the ending doesn't make the long journey feel worthwhile.
The acting is decent, but even good performances can't save a weak script. If you're looking for a satisfying revenge story, strong character development, or logical writing, this isn't it.
Overall, I found Overdo disappointing, frustrating, and forgettable. I wouldn't recommend it unless you enjoy endless misunderstandings and characters making irrational choices.
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Hou Ming Hao Made Me Cry and I Thanked Him For it!
Okay, hold onto your tissues and your patience, because I just finished Love in the Clouds, and my heart is a puddle of goo while my brain is a swirling vortex of "WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER?!"Let's start with the good stuff, because there is SO much of it. I came here for Lu Yu Xiao after Love Between the Lines, and honestly? She is a gem. I’m officially in my "watch everything she touches" era. But can we talk about Hou Ming Hao as Ji Bo Zai? This man plays the "emotionally tortured hero" like it’s an Olympic sport, and he brought home the gold. The man doesn't just cry; he waterfalls, and when he cries, I cry. We cry. It’s a whole flood. And those eyes? They speak a language that doesn't need subtitles—it’s pure, unadulterated angst and yearning, and I am fluent. Also, his voice on the OST? Excuse me, sir, save some talent for the rest of us. An all-rounder indeed!
The romance? Swoon-worthy. The cute moments were so sugary sweet they probably gave me a cavity, and I don't even care. The chemistry was off the charts—it was like watching two magnets that were desperately trying to stick together while a hurricane of plot twists kept pulling them apart. My head was on a constant swivel. Every time I thought, "Okay, we're safe," BAM! Another secret dropped from the sky like an anvil.
Which brings me to the only reason this isn't a perfect 10 from me: the lies, the secrets, the misunderstandings. If this was real life, these two wouldn't need a wedding certificate; they’d need a lifetime pass to couples therapy or a really, really good divorce lawyer. It was a MasterClass in "What Not to Do in a Relationship." Pick up a phone! Send a text! Use a carrier pigeon! Anything but this emotional jiu-jitsu!
And the second male lead? Yikes on bikes. I get it, unrequited love stings, but my dude took "obsess much?" to a whole new level. His arc was basically a villain origin story, which, honestly? I respect the decision. It’s way more interesting than watching him pine sadly in the corner for 30 episodes. Better a compelling villain than a soggy napkin of a character.
But you know what? They stuck the landing! The last episode wrapped everything up so nicely, I almost forgave them for the emotional rollercoaster they put me through. It wasn't rushed; it was the warm, fuzzy hug I needed after all that chaos.
All in all, I had a blast. If Hou Ming Hao is in it, I’m watching it. I’m already queuing up his next project because this man has me in a chokehold. If you love epic romance, gorgeous leads, and don't mind screaming "COMMUNICATE!" at your screen every five minutes, this is the drama for you. Perfectly imperfect, and I loved every frustrating, beautiful second of it.
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ML: the punching bag
So quickly I’ll say this supposedly high budget drama looked cheap, used a lot of AI(ew) and the music was…woooo, horrific. Moving on, I have never sided with a republican era ML and never thought I would, until now. I won’t say much about the FL, I found her mostly unlikable and selfish but she had valid reasons sometimes. ML was a good guy despite his circumstances. He had good intentions, loved his brothers, he loved FL, he continued to obey both parents despite how they abused him. Now what does he get in return? Everyone around him(including FL) controlling, manipulating, hiding things from him and just being outright mean to his face. Some claimed to be doing these things for his sake out of “love”, but it was just completely ignoring his feelings and what he wanted. Now after spending 98.7% of the series being treated poorly, ML who sacrificed so much should get a happy ending right? LOL, guess not. ML has the *tiniest* glimpse of happiness before it all ends for him. And not only did the ML spend the entire drama miserable, all the other characters did too. Which made it miserable to watch and a waste of time.Was this review helpful to you?
underrated, but too short a series!
This was definitely a dark toned and depressing series. It does have a very good story plot to it, but I think it might have been a bit better with a larger cast.I'm a very avid fan of Hyun Joong, whether it be his acting or music ... and he definitely does not disappoint with his performance. It kind of reminds me of a past movie he did called Indian Pink. Just like that movie, he pretty much does a "one man show", carrying most of the dialogue throughout the four part episodes. He's dealing with the loss of a loved one and he truly makes you feel you're right there with him, walking through a lost state of mind, trying to find himself.
Overall, it's entertaining to watch, but I just think the potential was there for an even greater series, had a larger supporting cast been introduced along the way. There's only so much one person can do, being on the screen every minute of the drama.
You kind of realize the direction the series is heading by the third installment, so it's not too surprising how it ends up.
Nevertheless ... Hyun Joong gives a great performance, but be warned ... it's not a series to watch if you need cheering up!
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A bit too slow
After really enjoying The Earth, I was really excited to start the other elements as well. I have to say I disliked this series a little bit, mainly because it was sooo slow. I mentioned before that I rather not watch gl with the reasons of most being slow and that was exactly the problem here and why I disliked The water. The water has a pretty good concept but it's incredibly slow and boring dialogues where they just keep on talking about business. After the 4th episode I was really about to drop it but I actually forced myself to finish it. I learned that with all of the four elements I have watched I should be patient.I'm gonna be honest, I am not very familiar with any gl pair so for me it keeps being a surprise. I have never once seen another series of Englot. I did see Engfa in Paradise of Thorns, but Charlotte is a completely new actress to me. I love seeing Heng in this series. Something about him is just really nice. He always plays evil roles but I just really like him as an actors and person. The acting job of the mains however... I'm honestly a bit disappointed. I hate to judge others but I really disliked most of the acting in the entire series. Lada was a nice character but her whole personality felt forced. Her 'shy' and 'oopsie' personality irritated me a lot even if it wasn't as bad as other series. As for Nam, I liked most of her character a lot but the nonchalant behaviour she showed towards Lada irritated me aswell.
The hotel idea is original and I always appreciate original locations. But the hotel also made me dislike this series mainly. The idea of a hotel was sweet but I'm not a big fan of the actual business talk and it just made everything very complicated in my head. To be very honest, everything also felt very unfair towards the other staff. How she randomly upgraded etc. I know there was a reason behind it but it doesn't feel right. I also hated how Lada lied about her relationship with Phat. Honestly, just selfish. They could've just said they're siblings. Also the ending did make me sad and I love how Nam actually didn't mind about Lada.
One of the things I learned is that I might have to give myself more patience. With the Earth as well, I didn't like it until episode 5. I feel like more action comes after episode 4-5 and I'm excited to see if this is the case with the air as well. I'm obsessed with the vibe that Nam has. Her glasses and her masc vibes??? Hell yes. I love her seriousness and workaholic personality as well. In Th earth we had Din who also gave off this masc vibe and I'm sooo curious about Becky oml. I really love FreenBecky and I can't wait for the next series!!
I love the dad and the sister, really. It's so cute seeing them ship Lada and Nam. I also love how the dad is super supportive. Also, just like them I couldn't wait for them to be together. It took some time but they always stayed supportive. I would've loved Lada's mom meeting Nam though but ig she is supportive. I was actually so surprised Pheemdech (Lada's dad) becoming evil., like what was that??
The confession scene was adorableee and their first kiss. They're so stubborn and silly together. Honestly, towards the ending it started becoming insanely cute but before that it was just boring. I liked the ending but not the beginning. I really hope the air won't be super slow at first and will actually be fun from begin to end. I do recommend this anyways.
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Unexpectedly heavy
I for one don't read info before watching a series, it adds more mysteriousness and suspense. This for me was truly heavy. I could feel most of the emotions like frustration, sadness, anger, vulnerability, uncertainty and more. This was well done even though there are some parts I would love the writers to add or delete. But it really portrayed what is really happening out there in the world. It's just sad that there are such human beings out there that would do such atrocious things to another being. But as the ending said there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. So let's be more compassionate and caring towards our own kind. I rate this an 8 and I would recommend this if you are a person who watches series based on how you feel at the moment because if you want something heavy this would be it. It won't be a waste of time just 8 episodes and you done.Was this review helpful to you?
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THE ONE AND ONLYYYY
I'm being so serious when I say this show made me so happy. Not important, but can I say that I knew I needed to introduce my mom to BL after watching this series, and SHE LOVED ITTT. Now she's a BL fan like me AAAAAAAAA.· °՞(≧□≦)՞°·..Anyways, on a more serious note, Pond and Phuwin portrayed their characters so well, especially Pond. Khun Thee was such an honest character you couldn't help but love him. His facial expressions and reactions were so refreshing to see; he carried so much emotion, you truly couldn't help but pay attention to him. And the way Peach was slowly teaching him how to love eughhhahdssdnj, I FELT THE LOVEEEEEE. It was beautiful.
In general, I have a hard time watching comedy shows because I either don't find them funny or constantly feel secondhand embarrassment. But I truly found Me and Thee to be so funny; it's so perfect for this show. Without it, I wouldn't have been the story it is. Not gonna lie though, Khun Thee was making me turn away in the first few episodes because I went into this show completely BLINDDD with no concept of anything, so I wasn't expecting his character to be so unserious. But I ended up enjoying it and never turned away again haha.
And to be completely fair, since nothing can ever be perfect, right? I wish they would've given Perth's character, Tawan, more of a chance to develop as a persona. I felt, as a viewer, I wasn't given enough time to forgive him. So even though, as a watcher, I was told, okay, it's time to forgive him because every other character already has, I couldn't forget how HE KEPT PUNCHING MY BRO PEACH WHAT THE HECKKK. But I loved all the other characters; I didn't feel as though they were unnecessary. I felt each of their presence, for example, romemok HELLOOO?!!!!?? Mok and Thee's friendship was golden. Lookplub and ARAN were so precious and beautiful. (˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )づ♡
Anyways, I'm not a professional reviewer, nor am I that serious about it, but I love Me and Thee so much. You could convince me they were real people; that's how much I felt their love. THANK YOU, pondphuwin, for this and everyone else!!!! VIVA THEEPEACH LOS AMOOO. I'm so sad it's over.
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It's not where we're going...it's how we get there.
When a viewer is watching a 'youth' drama from China, they almost always know the outcome...the two main characters will be together at the end after some trials and tribulations. In that regard, Dazzling doesn't really hold many surprises.However, I thought the story took an interesting approach when our hero, Xing Wu, was portrayed as someone who was so busy making money as he tried to keep his family going financially that he wasn't sure he wanted to finish high school. He had offers to make good money without a diploma. Was more education really necessary? I think a lot of people in his situation would ask that question, and for a lot of them, the answer would be to take the short term financial gain.
Enter our heroine, Qing Ye who was basically dumped on her aunt's doorstep in a tiny seaside town because her father was in legal trouble. After living a much more luxurious life in Beijing, she has many 'fish out of water' experiences before adapting to her new home.
The hero is the son of the aunt, so he can't avoid the girl, who comes across as spoiled, childish, and petty. Of course, they argue a lot and have several adventures until they come to some sort of understanding. As they get to know each other, they each nurture an unspoken attraction that blossoms into romantic love.
Eventually, she inspires the hero to return to high school, and she tutors him and a lot of his friends as they prepare for the end of high school exam.
This drama struck me as a bit different in some ways:
The whole 'do we need an education' aspect brought up a lot of discussion among the characters.
The heroine is no damsel in distress. She is able to think for herself and solve most of her own problems.
Life in the small town wasn't completely sanitized. The aunt's house had no indoor plumbing.
Almost all the characters experience personal growth in some fashion.
One of the 'bad' guys gets a redemption arc and becomes a successful adult.
The small town becomes like another character in the show.
The acting was very good from the main cast. I've seen some comments that the leads didn't have much chemistry, but I disagree. I could feel how much the main characters meant to each other, even if there wasn't any physical affection through the first 27 episodes. Both actors are able to use small nuances of expression to show what the characters are feeling . I think this is especially true for the male lead. His character was in an odd position. He cared tremendously for the heroine, but there were many obstacles in his way, and he had to control his feelings. The actor did very well in that regard.
The drama isn't perfect, of course. It's a slow paced drama, probably because life in a small town has a slower pace. There were a lot of flashbacks in the last few episodes, which can get annoying. I would've rather learned more about what our hero was doing during the time they were apart.
I grew up in a small town, so the slow pace of the story doesn't bother me. I found it to be very enjoyable, so I might watch it again.
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An heartbroken masterpiece ?
I was really enjoying Overdo, despite its flaws. Zhang Linghe and Wang Churan were amazing. But after hearing about the ending, I couldn't find the courage to continue. I stopped at Episode 26 because I knew it would break my heart. I just wish the drama had given Qingyi the ending he truly deserved. It's C-drama trauma for me. 💔That said, this drama is definitely not for the weak-hearted. I was completely immersed in every episode, and I loved every minute of it... until the ending shattered me.
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Not happy with the ending
I wasn't happy with the story.At first, everything was good. The drama started with anger, revenge, and separated lovers, which made the story interesting. However, as the story progressed, it became boring. There wasn't a single truly happy moment for anyone.
The drama had three love stories, but not one of them had a happy ending, which was the saddest part of the entire drama. And what was that ending? I wasn't happy with it either.
The story revolved around a family that was assassinated, after which the plot focused on revenge. However, I would like to appreciate the acting of all three couples, especially the second male lead, who was the cousin of the first and third male leads.
There were only a few happy moments between the main leads.
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INSANELY CHARMING, PAINFULLY CONTRIVED
(Review in progress, I'll be done watching this series in days)In some ways this series is trash. In other ways it's transcendent. I've never experienced a story so conflicted this way. So let me tell you right now it's a recommend -- but with the warning that it's more charming than logical.
I normally would have abandoned a series this contrived. All sorts of things happen because of 'fate', which is a poor screenwriting trick to justify bad writing. And it's such a shame because the characters are so endearing.
The core question of this series is: what would you do if you discovered you had a doppleganger? Someone who looked exactly like you, but behaved differently. In Western stories this would be an actual twin brother somehow separated at birth, but I love how the Eastern story simple accepts the doppleganger as real and proceeds forward.
The problem is that from this point forward the writer/director filmed his rough draft. He needed input from another writer to make this thing work -- and there's SO MUCH WRONG here.
1. Characters ping-ping between cities in contrived confusing ways. Towards the end of the series I honestly lost track of which city we were in half the time. The entire series should have been set in Beijing.
2. We have four main characters: Memory Issues Li Qin, Ballerina, Photographer Boy, and his clone Qipao Boy. The story struggles with having these characters all cross paths by coincidence again and again and again. There was no need for this. The first time the boys crossed paths was fine, but after that --
3. -- these four characters should have become fast friends. And over a month before major plot twists happened. A month would have made the looming tragedy 12 times more tragic.
If you've made it this far, you think the show is trash. Except it isn't. Again, I had to get this out of the way. Here's the cool parts --
1. The male lead isn't your run of the mill Idol Drama Pretty Boy. Instead he plays two different roles really well. I want to see more of this guy, but have a feeling he'll be relegated to more supporting roles than leads because as good looking as he is -- he's not an Idol gorgeous type. But for me that's a good thing.
2. The ballerinas are fantastic because... they're actual ballerinas! Instead of tiny emaciated actresses you'd beg to eat a bow of dumplings, they're simply fit young ladies that exude beauty. The lead ballerina is TERRIFIC and I'll watch anything with her in it going forward. Her snarky friend literally has almost no credits but is so natural she steals half the show.
3. What brought me here is Li Qin and her constant ability to pick great stories. Her role is so delightfully different for her and yet she's pulling of her subtle acting thing yet again. She can smile with a slight tear in her eye and kill me everything.
Oddly enough the older generation this show is just okay. Some of the best actresses have bit parts but the ones we see a lot didn't seem to be... the best choices? They weren't bad, mind you.
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When I say I want a toxic BL, this is exactly what I mean.
Not because I want abuse romanticised. Not because I think love should hurt. But because I'm interested in stories where damaged people collide, where morality isn't clean, and where everyone is forced to confront the consequences of who they've become.Payback begins with exactly that promise.
Sun isn't an innocent protagonist caught in someone else's game. Before tragedy ever enters his life, he works as a debt collector for a loan shark, threatening desperate families for money. He already belongs to a brutal world where survival comes at someone else's expense. Then everything collapses. A debtor, pushed beyond his breaking point, kills Sun's younger brother in front of him. His mother dies soon afterwards. His boyfriend Bank disappears with all of his money.
For five years, he simply survives out of habit.
What makes him such a compelling protagonist is that he genuinely believes this is his punishment. If he hadn't chosen that life, his brother would still be alive. His guilt becomes the thing that keeps him moving, and Min Thanakorn plays that emotional numbness beautifully. Sun rarely allows himself to grieve because, deep down, he doesn't think he deserves to.
Years later, while working as a delivery driver, Sun accidentally overhears Bank — now living under the name Sunny as one of Thailand's biggest stars — casually admitting his own involvement in the events that led to Sky's death. Until then, Sun believed Bank had betrayed him and stolen his money. Suddenly he realises something far worse: Sunny didn't simply abandon him. He played a direct role in destroying his family.
That's the moment revenge is born.
Sun's revenge is deeply personal. He wants Sunny to lose everything the same way he did. Jay's revenge, however, is something entirely different. He wants to expose and destroy the corrupt system behind Dream Entertainment, a system built on exploitation, coercion and the abuse of power.
And unfortunately, this is where I think the series slowly loses the thread it had woven so carefully.
I kept waiting for the moment where Sun's personal revenge would naturally evolve into Jay's larger fight. Not because Sun suddenly stops caring about Sunny, but because he slowly begins to understand that Sunny isn't the beginning of this story. He's another product of the same machine.
Ironically, the ending already hints at exactly that version of the story.
I just wish the journey had taken us there more deliberately.
Personally, I would've loved to watch Sun dismantle Sunny's life piece by piece throughout the series. Not through violence, but through carefully calculated moves. Destroying his reputation. His public image. His career. Slowly forcing Sunny into a position where he'd finally have to confront the consequences of his own choices.
And then... give Sunny one episode. One chance to tell his side of the story.
Not because he deserves redemption.
Because he deserves perspective.
Payback begins by asking us to empathise with someone who carries enormous responsibility for the tragedy that destroyed his own life. I wanted that same complexity extended to Sunny. Not to forgive him, but to understand him.
Because I think that's where Sun's character arc truly wanted to go.
Not towards revenge.
Towards self-forgiveness.
The most powerful version of this story isn't one where Sun wins. It's one where he realises that revenge was never really about Sunny. It was a tool that kept him going, a reason to stay alive when he otherwise had no idea what he was still living for.
And perhaps that's why I wanted one more confrontation between Sun and Sunny. Something that forces Sun to hear the other side of what happened. Because Sunny did something terrible. But Sun also has to confront the fact that his own choices helped create the chain of events that led to his brother's death. None of that absolves Sunny. But it could have forced Sun to understand that he can't spend the rest of his life looking for one person to carry all of his guilt.
The series gestures toward this idea, particularly during Sun's psychological collapse and the devastating scene where he performs a suicide attempt for the camera, only to realise that despite everything, he doesn't actually want to die.
It's one of the strongest scenes in the entire show.
The same can be said for the corruption storyline.
The entertainment industry isn't simply used as a dramatic backdrop. The "Backer" system — powerful executives exploiting actors in exchange for career advancement — is presented as something deeply rotten, and the series deserves credit for refusing to make that corruption feel incidental. Payback deserves credit for refusing to sanitise that reality.
Jay is perhaps the character I'm most conflicted about.
His chemistry with Sun is undeniable. I genuinely enjoyed watching two people who both understand they're using each other while slowly becoming unable to pretend that's all they're doing. But I also found Jay frustrating. The rabbit reveal — discovering that Sun was the mysterious man from five years earlier — should have fundamentally transformed Jay's motivations. Instead, it mostly plays like another layer of romantic destiny. I wanted that revelation to matter more.
Because Jay doesn't just discover that he once slept with Sun.
He discovers that he has finally found the person he's been looking for all this time.
And that should change something.
I wanted to see Jay protect Sun without a deal attached. Without Sun owing him anything. Not because Sun is useful to him, but because, for once, Jay has found something he doesn't want to lose.
That would have made their relationship feel so much more significant to me.
In the end, Payback isn't a failed revenge story.
It's a revenge story that already contains the emotional journey I wanted to watch — it just never fully connects all the threads.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 10/10 — One of the best fantasy dramas I've watched this year.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 10/10 — One of the best fantasy dramas I've watched this year.I went into The East Palace with almost no expectations, and it completely blew me away.
The visual effects are stunning and actually serve the story instead of existing just for spectacle. The plot is filled with suspense, mystery, and twists that kept me invested from beginning to end. Every episode left me wanting to watch "just one more."
The chemistry between the leads is phenomenal—natural, emotional, and believable. But the biggest surprise for me was the King. His performance was outstanding and every scene he appeared in carried so much weight.
The fight choreography is incredibly well done, and there are several moments I'll definitely be rewatching.
What disappoints me most is that this drama isn't getting the attention it deserves. It has excellent writing, fantastic performances, beautiful cinematography, and production quality that rivals much bigger titles.
If you're looking for a fantasy drama with mystery, romance, action, and great acting, don't sleep on The East Palace. It deserves a much larger audience.
An easy 10/10 from me, and I'm already hoping for Season 2.
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