Reviews

A Pleasant moment, well played and quite romantic.

“Twilight” with Hong Kong sauce, with Danson Tang.

Not all vampire stories are like Twilight, but here, we have:
- the university / school context
- rivalries within the school
- the good vampires and the villains (not werewolves, but vampires gone bad).
- sweet romance

BUT :
+ Only 9 ep. (Was there a season 2 planned??) and the way of filming is very special (jerky actions, in particular).
+ The actors are excellent and I became a fan of the 2 leads.
+ The OSTs are excellent too.
+ The story is quite coherent and approaches another point of view than Twilight, more psychological, more philosophical (what is the meaning of life when you have lived 200 years?).
- On the other hand, the special effects are "low-budget".

=> Pleasant moment, well played and quite romantic.
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"Twilight" sauce Hong-Kong, avec Danson Tang.

Toutes les histoires de vampires ne ressemblent pas à Twilight, mais ici on a :
- le contexte universitaire
- les rivalités au sein de l'école
- les gentils vampires et les villains (pas de loups-garous, mais des vampires qui ont mal tourné).
- la sweet romance

MAIS :
+ Seulement 9 ép. (Y avait-il une saison 2 de prévue ??) et la façon de filmer est très spéciale (actions saccadées, notamment).
+ Les acteurs sont excellents et je suis devenue une fan des 2 leads.
+ Les OST sont excellentes.
+ La story est assez cohérente et aborde un autre point de vue que Twilight, plus psychologique, plus philosophe (quel est le sens de la vie quand on a vécu 200 ans ?).
- Par contre, les effets spéciaux font "low-budget".

=> Agréable moment, bien joué et assez romantique.

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A Series That Derails Its Own Train

"Unforgotten Night" arrived with the promise of a stirring narrative set against a backdrop of crime and passion. Yet, the series serves as a case study in how a potentially thrilling story can go awry when the plot decides to abandon ship.

Story:
From the outset, "Unforgotten Night" seemed to be charting a course into daring territory. However, it wasn't long before the plot took a sharp turn into the realm of the implausible and never looked back. The attempt to tackle the sensitive subject of BDSM was met with a mishandling that bordered on the offensive. Rather than presenting a considered depiction, the scenes played out with a carelessness that could only be described as disgraceful.

Equally jarring was the portrayal of the mafia. A role that could have been a nuanced exploration of power and vulnerability was lost to a performance that did not quite capture the gravitas one would expect from such a character. The youthful appearance of the actor could have brought an interesting dynamic to the role of a mafia boss, but the execution and direction failed to leverage this, leading to a portrayal that lacked authenticity and depth.

Cast/Acting:
The actors tasked with bringing the series' central couples to life faced their own set of challenges, most notably the apparent absence of chemistry. In a genre where the emotional connection between characters is pivotal, this lack of spark left the relationships feeling flat and viewers struggling to invest in the couples' stories.

Overall:
Despite the aforementioned issues, the series was not without its merits. #YoonTon delivered performances that outshone the material they were given, showcasing their acting chops and leaving a lasting impression. Their efforts provided a glimmer of hope in what was otherwise a murky narrative sea. The potential they showed begs for more opportunities to shine, ideally in projects that offer a canvas worthy of their talent.

In conclusion, while "Unforgotten Night" may find an audience that finds enjoyment in its offering, it remains a series hampered by its failure to fully realize its ambitious undertones. It's a production that will have viewers imagining the 'what ifs' had it lived up to its initial potential. Here's to the future endeavors of its cast, especially #YoonTon, who certainly deserve to explore a broader range of roles that can properly highlight their abilities.

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Unique and very twisty!

After being traumatized by her parents' death, Jian was raised by her uncle Jinman (Lee Dong Wook). Years later, Jian (Kim Hye Joon) receives a call from local police informing her that Jinman is dead, so she's left on her own. She's about to investigate who is responsible for his death but has to defend herself from an unknown enemy who's suddenly attacking her. Will she survive and discover the truth?

This drama has a very unique storytelling and the characters setup. The cool thing about Jian is that she has the ability to think and act in crisis, even though she was a normal girl who live with her uncle who isn't the most loving-parent figure. Jinman demanded her to be very independent on her own.

The first two episodes were purely shown through Jian’s perspective, focusing on a big mystery surrounding her uncle. At first, I was feeling a bit lukewarm to how they're playing with time, switching between present and past without knowing the full context of the story (and gunfight scenes are not really my taste, but they’re actually very cool to watch if you’re a fan), but I’m fully on board later in episode 3, when they showed twists and clues about Jinman and the other supporting characters. Some scenes were gory, mind you, but it doesn’t really detract me from watching. The suspense and the intrigue are compelling enough to feel connected to the story, that the journey to revealing what's going to happen is just as enjoyable as the final reveal.

-Jan 2024, Yovita
Find me on Instagram: @kdramajudge

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Warning: Dont read this review, if you liked this drama

Okay, so after listening to the rave reviews on MDL and Discord that this series was the epitome of a BL production, I sat to watch this series. The cinematography, the acting, the OST, the story - everything was considered to be awesome about this series. By everyone.
So it was with a fair amount of expectation that I sat to watch this series.
To say it was a disappointment is an understatement.
Let me start by saying that I watched this drama on kisskh, which means the quality ain't HD, and that I haven't crossed 3 episodes in this drama.
The series starts off with a huge wet blanket and a downer by showing the main lead, who apparently only has vicious sticks as friends around him, sitting in a bar listening to his friends, spew jealous logorrhea about him... I mean, I take into consideration, that maybe they showed it that way, to show what a blockbuster life the ML has, but I still disapprove. It just makes me feel very uncomfortable and it's very off-putting to me as a viewer.
Alright, never mind. Maybe at least the MC might be a fresh breath of air, I thought.
Turns out he is a mighty prick, who doesn't have friends, but wants some, but still manages to do all things that would lead to the opposite. he is gloomy, unnatural, and absolutely has no friend-making skills whatsoever, which isn't as bad a thing as I make it out to be, to be very frank. I might have forgiven him for that if he could have been a little less pricky about it.
By the end of 1st episode and the start of the 2nd, we are shown that the boring, pompous, gloomy boy decides to start surfing all of a sudden. In my opinion, it doesn't sit right with his character... I mean, surfing? he doesn't have a single hobby or characteristic that would make us think, "Oh, it's natural for the MC to go surfing... it makes sense..."
No, it doesn't.
So that's another downer.
The two characters speak, but it's mostly Jae Won helping and Ji Hyun sulking. Just imagine this rolling for a few episodes and then out of nowhere, Jae Won kisses Ji Hyun... I mean, why? how? And seriously, whyyyy??
Oh god, was that flirting up until now?? Thank you The Eighth Sense, for making me feel better about my flirting skills...
But for your welfare, I would suggest you make the actors wear placards that state "Oh I am flirting ight now", cause otherwise we wouldn't know.
I didn't watch it beyond that... the dead fish kisses were the last straw for me, which allowed me to close the curtains on this boring shitshow...
If I have offended anyone with my review, I apologize.

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Kim Moo Yeong!

18/01/2024

Not a typical rom com cliched hashed out drama and am so thankful for that!

Kim Moo Yeong:

I really like the character of Kim Moo Yeong regardless of how flawed he is - maybe not his thrill of danger and living on the edge, but because he doesn't care about anything or anyone and calls a spade a spade. He also sees things that others don't and can sum a person up in a matter of moments, but in seeing what he sees he tends to use it as a part of his game playing and pranks to humour his dark sociopathic side. He is intriguing. However, he would have been much better had he been able to fight, do martial arts - something to fit the bad side of his character.

I think everyone should be more like him - as in not caring or getting so emotionally connected to people or situations because that in itself is pure freedom with no guilt to be had whatsoever.

It is a good series so far (on episode 10), but I really don't see the build up or development between the ML and FL - not really. Am also still guessing what happened in the past that connects them in some way or what really happened as to why he is the way he is - I think I've guessed, but am not going to give any spoilers.

I am aware that this has a really sad ending which is why I have put it off for well over a year

Yoo Jin Kang:

I really like Jung So Min in Alchemy of Souls and she is fine in this except her character is far too hot and cold. For example, moping and upset when she doesn't know where KMY is and then when he appears gives him the cold shoulder and tells him they should never see each other again. She does this more often than not

I don't know what he sees in her!!!

He is so simple and straight forward yet she is not easy to please and continuosly over complicates things.

For me a realistic rapport isn't really there so far as nothing about her is so extraordinary that it would blind sight a person like him - especially as he is supposed to be emotionally detached, lacking remorse with no feelings and is unhinged in some ways. It seems somewhat "forced" .... so what if she has a scar, was in a house fire and is an orphan like him, well - there are 5 million of her out there somewhere.

The writers could have done a better job to make me believe that something about her really caught his attention - her character and scar just aren't enough.

It might have been better had she given him an ultimatum and played mind games so as to teach him a lesson or two. Something more creative than a burn scar and few interactive glances to set the tone of a strong bonded connection with no development.

Just adding:

I watched a few more episodes and feel it is wrong for Yoo Jin Kang to be interested in her best friend's "so called love interest" especially after what Kim Moo Yeong put in to action just to teach the CEO a lesson - not to mention the CEO's sister who matches KMJ to a tee except she comes from money and he doesn't.

Between the brother of YJK and the sister of the CEO the future is looking rather bleak for KMJ.

Some lessons can never be undone!

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Soaring High with Some Turbulence

"Love in the Air" hit the Thai BL series scene in 2022, bringing with it a whirlwind of emotions, drama, and romance. The series started strong, captivating me within the first few minutes with a clear time jump that set the stage for the story to unfold.

One of the most commendable aspects was the natural and affirming approach to LGBTQ+ representation. Ple's outright statement that "being gay is not a bad thing" was a significant moment, and the inclusion of bisexual characters added a layer of much-needed representation. The thrill of street racing injected an adrenaline rush into the narrative, while the NSFW scenes, particularly between Rain and Phayu, were handled with a finesse that was both realistic and respectful to the story.

The tender, sweet moments of care between the characters provided a heartwarming balance to the more intense scenes. It was refreshing to see university students depicted as genuinely engrossed in their schoolwork and assignments, adding realism to their lives. Sky's initial sass was a delight, offering a sharp contrast to his later development.

However, the series hit some turbulence that could not be overlooked. The decision to separate the narratives of the two couples was a gamble that didn't pay off for me. The second half of the series lost momentum, and I found my attention waning.

Furthermore, the handling of serious topics within the series was troubling. There's a fine line between portraying reality and glorifying poor behavior, and "Love in the Air" often crossed it. This was particularly evident in the writing, where serious issues were sometimes treated with a concerning lightness that failed to do them justice.

As for the acting, the cast brought commendable performances, especially considering this was a debut role for many. They rose to the occasion, bringing depth and charisma to their characters. The duo of #BossNoeul & #FortPeat stood out, and I genuinely hope to see their talents blossom across a variety of genres in the future.

In conclusion, "Love in the Air" was a series that soared in many respects but encountered some avoidable rough patches. With its heart in the right place, the series offered moments that were genuinely touching and engaging. Here's to the continued growth of the cast and the evolution of Thai BL storytelling.

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Mini dramma sorprendente!

Dramma sorprendentemente bello,ti tiene incollato alla tv fino alla fine.Un mini dramma che sorprende e ti fa pensare a come la vita a volte dà le seconde possibilità e come nei momenti peggiori dovremo valutare sempre bene le nostre scelte. Il racconto di tre ragazzi che si trovano incrociati in una storia di vita dove fanno scelte importanti.Un atleta che non potrà esserlo più ma scopre la musica e poi due pianisti promettenti da sempre nemici ma che alla fine sono più simili di quanto credono.Insieme percorrono una sfida e ne usciranno tutti più forti.
Consiglio la visione tutta di un fiato e non se ne rimane delusi.

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This is not helping Cha Eun Woo's acting career

Even Cha Eun Woo's handsomeness cannot make me finish this drama. It's lacking so many things. Sure, the story is unique but it's not interesting enough. Yes, the dog is cute.

It's just not worth my time when there are other airing dramas with better stories. This makes me sad because I'm his fan.,I wish he'd get better roles after this. Roles where his visuals is not always the focus. I need to see how talented of an actor he really is and sadly, this is not it.

All in all, if u don't have much expectations or u don't mind being dumb down by a drama, watch this.

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JCW back with an action packed neo-noir series

The story, acting, cast, bgms, cinematography, action choreography were awesome. They delivered more than what I had expected. Would like to see JCW in action and romcom series more often.
The story thread goes something like this: Set in Seoul in the 1990s, a former DJ starts selling a new powerful drug nicknamed "Gangnam Crystal" in city nightclubs after mastering a gangster organization. Since the police know little about the origin of such drugs, in order to crack down on this rampant drug trafficking organization, rural police officer Park Jun Mu is assigned to sneak into the organization, only to discover that his wife, Yoo Eui Jung , also a detective, has volunteered to participate in this dangerous mission and seems to have an unspeakable past with the heinous underground drug king. Park Jun Mu in this drug-related mission, not only does he wholeheartedly fight the drug cartel, but also works hard to protect his wife's safety at all times.

Well, overall this was a gem of a find

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The majority of clichés were handled well. I felt the gradual, convincing formation of their love.

There are cute moments in this BL series like in many others, but they are not as annoying, prolonged, and exaggerated as in most. The cute scenes are well-placed and realistically executed, which pleased me a lot.

Bu Xia is incredibly adorable, and I find myself warming up to him more and more. As the series progresses, we understand why Jiang Chi fell in love in a very beautiful way, which is quite rare. Usually, you don't understand the process of falling in love. If I can say, "I would fall in love too" when I put myself in Jiang Chi's shoes, then the series is good.

Everything was great, but I found the school gossip and people's senseless curiosity to be absurd. I think it disrupts the realism of the story. Also, unless it is seriously exaggerated, I believe people wouldn't easily label two close male friends as gay. For me, this was the first absurdity in the series.

I liked his sister and the supernatural event very much, but it could have been more detailed. The solution of the supernatural event turned out to be a bit ridiculous and (for me) sad.

The passion between the couple was good, but in the kissing scenes, I felt an energy from Jiang Chi as if he didn't want to kiss. It seemed like he was forcing himself to be comfortable. Because of the lack of passion in the kissing scenes, the series couldn't become my favorite. I'm sorry, but to love and rewatch a BL series, I need to feel that chemistry between them.

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I really had fun watching this drama. I found out that it is a parody of another historical drama, which made it easier to watch. It's just the kind of silly comedy that you can laugh while watching and you know from the very beginning that everything will end well. The actors did quite well. They played the way I expected. Nothing too serious. This drama is great to watch as an interlude between dramas and movies with more serious themes. I've seen opinions that a lot of things haven't been explained, but I don't think so. For me everything is clear and easy to deduce. You just have to remember that this drama has fantasy elements.

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What is all this hype about, with WWWSK? Did a kiss make this a Kdrama classic?

“What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim?” (2018) stars Park Seo Jun as Lee Young-Joon and Park Min-Young as Secretary Kim Mi So. The drama is taken from a Webtoon by the same name.

Each person can have their personal opinions about any drama. I am good with that. However, the Korean Drama “What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim?” is about more than that ‘top five kisses of all times’, in the back half of this Korean Drama. “What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim?” is one of the deepest Korean Dramas of all times too, in spite it being a RomCom. This drama is about a mental and emotional promise which one abused child (Lee Young Joon / Lee Sung Hyun) made to another abused child (Kim Mi So). That promise was to always be her protector, in spite of the mental and emotional hits he took in life to be there for her. While the child abuse was a shared experience of two young children (kidnapped by the same abuser), the young boy just took it upon himself to handle the abuse while shielding the little girl from it. Consequently, he took on the damage this experience would eventually cause in life while he hide her eyes from the potentially bad consequences.

WWWSK does display the comedic genius of Park Seo Joon, one of the top Korean Drama actors. However, the drama also delves into what made his drama character in WWWSK become the egomaniac which he became. The drama character Lee Young-Joon was a huge egomaniac and narcissist [having Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)]. Even though his NPD produced the most laughs in the drama, some may not know that egomania and NPD can be caused by childhood trauma. The beautiful love story which emerges out of WWWSK becomes a healing process for all, as the now “grown little boy” (Lee Young Joon / Lee Sung Hyun) can finally keep his pinky swear he made with the now “grown little girl” (Kim Mi So) so long ago.

What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim? is a play on words. Is this exclamation a question or a discovery? Is something wrong with Secretary Kim or let me tell you what is wrong with Secretary Kim. Nonetheless, this Korean Drama is a must see for every Korean Drama devotee, in my opinion.

Personal admiration: For me, this drama (WWWSK?) has one of the top five drama performances by children. The child stars are actress Kim Ji Yoo as Kim Mi So (Eun Dan Oh [Young] from Extraordinary You) and actor Moon Woo Jin as Lee Young Joon / Lee Sung Hyun [Young] (It’s Okay Not To Be Okay, Castaway Diva). Kids don’t stay kids. Go figure. Watch for the great performance of actor Moon Woo Jin playing another abused child in Castaway Diva (2023).

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