Reviews

Title: Shi Yi Hou He Si Dui Tou Shan Hun Le (2024) is a great romantic comedy miniseries with Qian Zhe (as Lu Hao Ting) and Zhai Yi Ying (as Su Ruan) in the leading couple's roles. The cast did a good job bringing their characters to life and the leading couple had a very good impassioned and sensual chemistry that made this comedy very entertainment; enjoy it!
In the meantime, you can watch the drama on YouTube:"Mistaking her rival for her boyfriend, he spoils her while her ex begs for mercy!" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPqhygS7VPw) or:
"After losing memory, she mistakenly married CEO, not knowing CEO had liked her for 10 years." (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gui9RIUuUGk)
"Cheated After 7 Years of Love, She Lost Her Memory and Married Her Enemy!" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HQC2V8ysf8)

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good enough if you don't have anything to watch.

overall this is a short enjoyable drama. I personally finished it in one sitting and was satisfied.
it is perfect if you are not sure about what to watch next or if you feel you are in a slump.

I want to preface that this show shouldn't be taken too seriously otherwise red flags will start start appearing left and right.🤣
there is literal sexual harassment in the office!!
as a form of pure entertainment it does its job decently.

PLOT: oh go has been single for a year. her life is not perfect and when her ex boyfriend becomes her new boss things get worse, but in the same office someone else has been watching over her for a long time...
will there be a love triangle? or even a square?😏

the drama:
this is a reverse harem basically. everyone in this drama is in love In love with our main lead which in some cases makes sense but not so much in others.

I was enjoyinging specifically the young toy boy going after go oh but the drama made him a terrible guy and this plot line felt superfluous at the end.
I would have loved for her to have some "brainless fun" but our girl is a ride or die (rightfully so😅) type.

the other 2 main love interests are good enough to keep you entertained even though they felt a bit flat as characters.

the "bossy" boss was a man child unable to express himself and only capable of yelling at his supposed "beloved" junior.

the other one was a self piting ex boyfriend finding the courage to make things right only when he smells another guy in the vicinity of oh go.

as said before, it's better to take this drama as silly, because If we start thinking real hard, I don't feel any of them was a perfect match. I'd rather pick the old manager who behaved like an adult 😅😅. he was calm. funny and understanding.

the plot:
there is none to be honest. this is just a rom com about a girl choosing a guy.

the execution:
I didn't find the dialogues particularly brilliant. in honesty, I found them quite bad and boring at times. there is nothing really memorable in this drama.

the worst:
the part I hated the most is the mother. I am sick and tired of Korean mothers treating their daughters like less then and treating their adult sons like poor little angels who can do no wrong and deserve everything.

I feel there wasn't a satisfying resolution for this part. sure, the mother stood by her daughter side in some occasions but that doesn't make it up for everything else in my opinion.

the romance:
the main couple was still cute, the actors had good chemistry.

CONCLUSIONS:
watch it to spend some brainless time in case of need.😅

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Such a frustrating watch!

Such a frustrating watch! It really didn't need need 16 episodes. It started out so promising with the single helper with a thriving business. I feel like literally any other direction would have been better than the romance of Sang-eun and the judge. I tried so hard to like that guy but he was sooo hard to like. Their conversations were so flat and drawn out.
Hae-jin was a much better match in so many ways. They had easy chemistry, he was emotionally open and he was devoted to her. He was even a great boss. It would have been so dope if she has chosen him and they'd been a power couple who does what they want despite the conglomerate constraints - or whatever.
With the judge I felt like she was carrying that whole relationship on her back. She had to teach him how to function as a partner and even at work. I was so confused when she started talking about how the judge was too good for her. Like gal, what do you mean? I also really disliked how his character was supposed to be stoic but he kept making all these weird impulse decisions. Like saying I want to see you right now - at late hours of the night. Chugging alcohol that he can't handle etc. How he'd revert to being a mean boss when things weren't going well with Sang-eun. Then she even proposed! She was really doing too much.

Yoo Madam was my favorite, in my opinion, the best written character. She was so complex. And the actress did an amazing job of bringing out the character. I kept wondering, is she the mom or not? I was so delighted when she was.
I also liked all his workmates with their colorful characters. As well as his superior's wife. They were all so fun. It balanced out the fact that he was grumpy at work and created a difficult working environment. His ex-wife was cool too.
I was also excited to see the LGBTQ representation! It would have been nice to see him liking people and dating them, and just more about his life. I loved the bestie dynamic with him and Sang-eun. I did like the fact that he stayed to be a top star and didn't go to Canada.

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Haunting, emotionally devastating and cathartic. Beautiful love story ❤️

This is basically a modern-day Romeo and Juliet story. It has action, humour, suspense and an intense romance. Jisoo and JHI meshed so well together and had incredible chemistry. It is a slow burn romance with soft sweet subtle interactions. There are only a few simple touches and comforting romantic hugs between them, but I felt their deep connection and all their scenes gave me butterflies. I couldn't stop smiling and was giddy with excitement whenever they came together onscreen. Unfortunately theirs was a story of unfulfilled love and you could feel their longing and anguish to be together at every moment.

I fell sooo hard for Lee Soo Ho. JHI's portrayal as the dark brooding conflicted spy just hits differently compared to his other roles. He was totally swoon-worthy in this and his physique suited this type of role. Snowdrop so far is probably my favourite of his dramas. He has a natural effortless charm about him and his acting was mind-blowing. JHI is a master of micro-expressions. He relies on only the tiniest, most subtle movements of his eyes and facial muscles to convey his emotions - pure genius! Jisoo has a unique innocence and brings a special warmth to her character. She perfectly captured the essence of a teenager falling in love at first sight, who is full of hope, optimism, radiance, raw vulnerability, awkwardness and then as the drama shifts tone to high stakes her character's tone changes to serious and complex showing emotional volatility and immense sorrow due to the dangers, betrayals and the risk of losing loved ones, but despite all the hardships her spirit remained unbroken. Jisoo was cast perfectly for this role.

This drama was poignantly beautiful and tragic at the same time. Under different situations and circumstances this couple would have fallen deeply in love and lived their happiest lives together. Nevertheless Snowdrop was perfectly executed

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Breaking Free and Learning to Love Again

I really loved the male lead's mentality in this drama. Despite loving the female lead deeply and wanting to be by her side all the time, he never tries to make her dependent on him. Instead, he encourages her to be strong, independent, and capable of standing on her own. Even though he wants to keep her close, he also wants her to have the freedom and confidence to choose her own path. That kind of love was refreshing to watch.

The leads looked amazing together and had great chemistry. The male lead perfectly captured the role of a man who is completely devoted to the woman he loves. He was warm, respectful, caring, and absolutely head over heels for her. Every gesture, every look, and every moment of support felt genuine.

The story itself has quite a lot going on. The female lead starts off as a strong woman who has been worn down by life and trapped in a toxic marriage. Instead of supporting her, her husband slowly isolated her, controlled her, and made her feel worthless while benefiting from her wealth and status. Watching that relationship fall apart was frustrating but also necessary.

What I appreciated most was that once she decided to leave, she didn't spend forever dwelling on the past. She chose herself, walked away from the toxicity, and started rebuilding her life. The male lead became a source of support, but he never overshadowed her growth. He helped her find her confidence again rather than trying to save her.

The romance develops quickly, but the chemistry between the leads makes it work. More than anything, this drama feels like a story about healing, self-worth, and finding someone who loves you without trying to control you. And honestly, watching the female lead leave a toxic marriage and find happiness again was incredibly satisfying.

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Basic k-drama love story for when you’re bored

The beginning of the show was really good and it captivated me from the get-go! This is my first time seeing Chae Wonbin in a main lead romance role, and she did really well. I enjoyed her acting and her visuals a lot. When it comes to Ahn Hyoseop, he sort of keeps getting type casted a lot. None of his roles seem to differentiate…what’s so funny about this show is that he basically played the business proposal’s characters twin almost. They were so extremely similar from being ceo to being ‘cold’, ‘nonchalant’ and uninterested in dating until he meets a silly goofy girl who makes him want to care and falls for her. You get the jist right? Its pretty basic lol.

What I liked about this show is the relationships we see outside of the main couple, I really liked the side characters and they kept things entertaining. Somewhere in the middle of the show things got a bit boring and it felt like it was getting quite dragged out but it was never to a point where it was painful to watch (cough cough like dynamite kiss). It was pretty funny and it had its emotional moments that made me tear up.

But truly, the one thing I liked the most about this show was the last episode. They did the ending so well! I swear kdramas nowadays (when it comes to romcoms) always rush their endings and leave major plotholes lingering despite having so much screentime they could’ve used to fill those gaps in but instead focused on the most boring plots. I really really loved how every character took accountability for their actions and patched all of their relationships up. I love how Dam Yejin acknowledged how much she neglected her father and apologised to him, we rarely see a main character do this to people they do wrong just because they were in pain! I loved to see it! I loved seeing her fix her relationship with her parents in the end, and the second lead wasn’t lead on and he took the rejection like a champ, it didn’t even feel like there was a competition but just a silly misunderstanding between everyone. It was nice how everything was finally summed up in the end.

It was a pretty good show, I’ll be honest the only reason why my rating bumped up to 8 is because I liked the ending so much. Kdramas genuinely miss on their endings every damn time but this was really nice to watch. I felt happy finishing this show! However I do believe it would be more fun to watch this with someone since some episodes do get a bit boring..👀

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Deeper Than Expected

I saw the trailer. We all probably did. It’s probably what brought you here. And yes, this drama does start off in that vein: toxic, deeply unhealthy, and raunchy as hell. That’s just to hook you though. It might start with smutty melodrama, but it turns into a pretty classic star-crossed love story. It’s very romantic, the cast manages to be pretty solid, and the quality of production is way better than you’d expect of a mini-drama in the vertical format.

If you want the absolutely outrageous implausibility we normally get from the verticals this might not work for you, but if you want an on-the-go vertical that brings a bit more classic K-drama style to your BL table, this will definitely suit.

Please note I’ve rated this with the general standard of vertical dramas in mind, so, yes, it’s an eight-plus by those standards, but it’s not an eight in the full length, landscape format sense.

The casting is well done, the costumes are obviously made of modern materials, but are well-made. The budget always shows when there’s a gat in the offing. There’s not a single horse hair in one of them, and I doubt there’s any bamboo either. Nylon and wire all the way.

Anyway, that’s smart use of budget. They used the money where it was needed, and it ensures a polished product. It’s the best vertical I’ve seen, once they get past the bait (sexy bits), and move into the actual story. The sexy bits definitely feel like choreographed and rehearsed shenanigans, rather than practised erotica. it’s far too techical to be organic or improvised by gay men who know the drill, pun intended. I doubt many MLM hookups go down the way these guys go at it. It just doesn’t look that fun. it’s very elegant though, and carefully conceals the undoubted presence of underwear 😏

Anyway, you can watch this in the Lezhin Snack app. It cost me around $NZ12 (USD7), and I don’t feel ripped off, so that shows how extraordinary it is for a vertical. Enjoy, or don’t. It’s up to you.

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Good series but disappointing in some themes

I love watching historical series and this was no exception. It explains the evolution of big trading firms in Japan, how it started and the stiff competition involving corruption and deception.

However i was disappointed with Iki as a father figure and a husband to his loyal wife Yoshiko. Having been apart for 11 years and coming back to a bitter and resentful son towards his father. Only to end his wife’s life in sadness I’m not sure whether she was ever happy with her life only to take care of the kids and the absence of her husband due to the war and work. And there’s the third wheel, daughter of his commander who committed suicide when pushed into a corner by the Russians as a war prisoner. Must he take care of her just cos his commander killed himself? How is it that he has to take responsibility of caring for his commander’s family? At the expense of his own family? They did not show any closeness between him and his children especially his son who balked him for the death of his mother.

I would rather them just show the family relationship instead of introducing a third wheel which i think doesn’t give any weight to the series except for attempt to have a juicy romance between him and the third wheel after his wife’s death and they failed to show any remorse by Iki after all the sacrifices the family made for him.

Other than this the historical portion about business and especially depicting the shogo shosha was worth watching.

p/s I skipped most of the scenes between Iki and the third wheel which I find distasteful. Or maybe they try to show how Japanese men are like when they get too immersed in work.

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Watched this thinking it's just all fun and laughter but ended up crying a few times

This is my first time to write a review here on MyDramaList just because I loved this show so much!! 🥹

As a big fan of YooLee (Yoo Jaesuk & Lee Kwangsoo ~ l've watched every show they did together), I already knew I'd like this show! They are always fun to watch and they truly are my fave people on variety shows. I missed this tandem so much so I was really looking forward to this. I knew this would be chaotic and funny but I didn't think I'd cry watching this but I did... lots of times even! HAHA you have to see for yourself!! There were no dull moments for me so I finished this really quick!

The casts/staff have great chemistry here! I'm so glad to see Wooseok being comfortable with YooLee (I wasn't expecting it tbh 😆) and I already liked Yeeun from Running Man. I knew she sees Kwangsoo as her role model so I'm happy for her that she got to work with Kwangsoo on a variety show. Well done with the casting - though I did wish there was an actual cook between them cause I knew they would be struggling if not (I also felt bad cause they had no time to rest, they were just so busy~ Even I felt tired just by watching them 😭) but they still did so well!! I am so happy to see Hyori & Sangsoon as well!!

But what made this show truly special were the guests!! They are all amazing and lovely people, the team behind this did really well in choosing them. Love the concept where they don't reveal their jobs at the start and they're just simply being themselves, goofing around and having fun together! I almost felt like I was together with them during their stay in the B&B cause I also felt sad when it's nearing the time they need to leave. I also cried with them whenever they did :(( I'm currently re-watching it and it's more exciting now that I'm more familiar with them.

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This is simply a perfect show...

Personally, I can't help but rate The WONDERfools as an absolutely flawless masterpiece.
It is an incredible work that reached its conclusion while maintaining an exceptionally high level of quality that exceeded viewer expectations from every angle—boasting a gem of a script whose multi-layered blend of serious drama and comedy takes the audience's heart rate on a roller-coaster ride, innovative action interspersed with stylish yet humorous elements, and flawlessly harmonized performances driven by the cast's incredible chemistry.
There is no doubt it will become one of the defining titles of 2026, and I truly believe it is a classic that will leave a lasting mark on K-drama history.

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Role Reversals

WARNING: major spoilers


Love Beyond The Grave hasn't surpassed Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms (TMOP) as my favorite, but it's definitely one of the best xianxias. Many asian drama actors/actresses are good looking, but aside from that, it's equally important to be convincing in the type of roles they play. Dilraba Dilmurat does not just look like a goddess, she acts like one. While I've enjoyed her performance as the girlish and cute Feng Jiu, I think He Simu is her best role to date, because it is in this role that she shows the most range. Her facial expressions go from cute and playful in one scene to cold and vicious the next. There is an episode where she plays her own doppelganger which shows that she can also play a crazy character. Her sitting on a throne as the sovereign of the Ghost World feels right, because she has a commanding and regal presence. Her character is also filled with contrasts. When discovering the senses and enjoying the mortal world she appears almost childlike. When dueling with other spirits in their yearly tournament, she is all powerful, but just...allowing each immortal, even when defeated, to surrender and try again next year. She also respects their wishes if it's a duel to the death they want.

I used to think Arthur Chen was cold and stiff, but I really like him as the playful and cunning Duang Xu. This cheerful type of sly male lead suits him and he is both dashing and dynamic. I like how the drama does not diminish the male lead, even if it emphasizes that the female lead is more powerful. When he's in his element as an army general, he is shown as effective in winning wars (sometimes even single handedly and alone in an enemy camp); he's also ruthless as an assassin and I thought it interesting that he fought like a berserker in some scenes and wasn't afraid to get bloodied and dirty. The story also shows that he is at a severe disadvantage when dealing with immortals and is very vulnerable, which makes sense. It would have been too unbelievable if he could suddenly stand toe to toe with hundred something old spirits who have been cultivating power for ages. That type of plot armor I do not care for. What's good is that, even if he's almost always at a losing end when dealing with immortals, he still handles himself well. When he enters the ghost world, he is able to take down two zombies using a magical sword. Later, he is able to defend himself (even for a few minutes) against Yan Ke, the main antagonist, using the same weapon Eventually, he does get help from a sorcerer. The male lead suffers a lot in the series, but he is able to accomplish everything he sets out to do, whether it's winning the female lead's heart or regaining back the 17 lands that were taken by the enemy. He gets a lot of help along the way, but in a way that is believable and human.*

One of the things this xianxia has which makes it different from others is the role reversal. There are scenes where the male lead actually gets himself in trouble (in stupid shoujo girl style) so the female lead can rescue him (which she does, she even literally carries him out of trouble) ; the villain Yanke is basically a white lotus (a male Sujin) who is over-the-top but very entertaining to watch (how can you doubt he is the bad guy when he literally has black smoke coming out him- like Sujin he basically loses it as a result of being unable to accept rejection from the one he likes); there are scenes in the Ghost World where all the dancers are male and all the customers being served/massaged are female.

I like how LBTG also looks different. In other xianxias like TMOP or LBFAD (Love Between Fairy and Devil), the world of immortals looks like how one would imagine heaven, with white clouds and set in the sky. The spirit world in LBTG, which is called The Void, is set in the bottom of the ocean. It is dark with bright lights. Everything looks luxurious, but corrupt. There is a curfew because zombies roam the world at night; there is an element of horror about it. There are dark forests, an immortal prison in a mountain overseen by a large, Sauron-like eye, main streets that resemble the underworld in that pixar movie, Coco...and yet, the Void looks like an Asian version of blade runner, with eastern style palaces and bright lanterns. I'm not necessarily implying that it had a better design than other shows, only that it was unique in its own way. Not just in terms of the set design, but also in the way the characters behaved. In other xianxias, all the other immortals are depicted as afraid of the King of Heaven and they never go against him. In the Void, He Simu fends off daily assassination attempts by other immortals, not to mention the yearly tournament designed to unseat her.

The OST in this drama is also one of the best I've heard. The catchy, upbeat tune somehow made things more exciting.

One of the flaws of this drama are its endings. There are actually two happy endings...the problem is that the first ending is cut short. It's a common theme in xianxias for an immortal or a mortal to die and then to resurrect. But when they resurrect, it's usually as a lower life form. In LBFAD, Orchid dies and then resurrects into a plant. DongFeng resurrects into a bone bracelet. They cultivate in this form for years before they are able to take on their human appearance. LBTG's first ending follows this established Xianxia trope where newly dead beings become jellyfish like creatures before taking human shape. There is a minor character, a human general who died saving his village, but when we see him, he is already in his human spirit form. One can assume that he didn't take this form at first. It would have been better if they showed the spirit of Duang Xu getting to cultivate into his human spirit form, just like they did with the other characters, so he can reunite properly with He Simu and they can live their spiritual afterlife together.

The second ending is the one that is canonically accurate to the book, where He Simu becomes a human (which is technically all she wanted) and lives out her life with Duang Xu. I honestly don't have a problem with this version either, since this is the author's intention.

When I first saw the trailer for this drama, I didn't think there would be any chemistry between the leads (I don't usually go for noona romance) but surprisingly, there was. Arthur and Dilreba are adorable when they finally get together. Their characters also suffer a lot. Duang Xu suffers as a result of sacrificing his senses for He Simu. He Simu ends up killing someone who tries to hurt Duang Xu and as a result, loses her powers for 5 years and gets imprisoned by the obsessive Yan Ke. Given that they suffered enough for their love, the happy endings (especially in the first version) should have been clearer.

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A 7 or an 8

WARNING: major spoilers


I think Asian dramas still have a long way to go when it comes to thrillers and plot twists. Sometimes, they get it right (Signal) but most of the ones I've seen border on the makjang/melodramatic and have over-the-top (very obvious) culprits which lessens the suspense. Overall, if judged specifically as a thriller* or a whodunnit*, Siren's Kiss is not quite there yet...but it is a step in the right direction.

In fact, I wasn't sure whether to classify it as a thriller/whodunit or a crime noir. They are not the same thing. I've watched a handful of Hollywood crime noir and from the start, you already know who the culprit is in this genre...it's usually the female lead and the whole point of the story is that she has to be taken down since she seduces and kills men. I'm not against watching this trope if done right, but I much prefer the more sympathetic take Siren's Kiss has, which historically, is the more modern one. While Park Min Young has made a career out of playing wholesome rom-com heroines and is very good at it, I don't think it's a bad thing for her to step outside her comfort zone and try something new. However, I can't quite see her as an all out villainess. While I still prefer her playing cheerful, girl-next-door types (she has a smile that lights up a room and a very friendly presence as an actress), her portrayal of the depressed and neurotic Han Seolah was convincing.

Wi Ha Joon is decent as detective Cha. He plays a similar character to his role in Squid Game, that of an investigator who is obsessive in his fight for justice and sometimes uses questionable means to get it. His actual fight scenes look real, not like he's just posing. He was quite obnoxious to the female lead at first, but overall is a good guy who is just rough around the edges. Kim Jung Hyun did very* well as Baek Jun Bom. His deranged facial expressions were so on point that I can't unsee them. I don't think I'll have an easy time seeing him as a good guy after this, but I'm certain that he's talented enough to ace a different role. Lee Elijah also shines as a character who is envious and obsessive, but also a victim and someone you sympathize with, after seeing her circumstances.

Viewers who are used to the shocking plot twists in Hollywood and European thrillers will be disappointed in the reveal of the big culprit, because it is quite obvious. On the other hand, I'm glad that, given how many crazy makjang characters appear here (probably as red herrings), the main culprit seems like quite the ordinary person. Perhaps it would have been better if his sister* turned out to be the culprit and he was just protecting her, turning out to be another red herring himself? That would have been one way to choose a villain who wasn't cartoony, but still surprising.

The strongest points of this drama are 1) the performances of the leads. The way bottled up trauma and release were represented by the lead actress- her scene after a funeral in the terrace with the male lead was quite powerful and they both delivered there. I feel a bit conflicted about the second male lead...his part in the story was too over the top for me, but as far as this type of role goes, he was really good at portraying a lunatic. Even the actress playing the nasty and scheming Art House chairwoman excelled. The show had this way of making a character do something seemingly normal, but look mysterious, like when the chairwoman stepped into a secret room full of art, her behavior made you know she was up to no good and want to keep guessing what she was up to.

2) The style of the show- There were a lot of symbolic things I liked. The way the male lead first sees the female lead through a one way mirror was similar to how a suspect is viewed by detectives in an interrogation room. The female lead is objectified here, but it is deliberate; one doesn't know if this woman is good or bad, so she is a big question mark. Even the OST is hauntingly beautiful. I like how the singer starts off humming softly and the song builds into a powerful crescendo...much like the way you'd imagine a siren singing. Very powerful OST and thematically fitting.

I don't usually go for bickering, antagonistic couples, so I'm glad that the main couple didn't stay enemies for long. I much preferred the scenes where they were finally working together and like how the male lead protected the female lead for so long once he realized she was innocent. I also like how the female lead returned the favor in the end. Even if she had zero fighting skills, she literally saved his life. I do agree with the flaw that they went from being antagonistic to being friends too fast. I don't know if the 12 episode format is to blame. On one hand, a few more episodes would have made the change more convincing (romance wise); on the other hand having more than 12 episodes would mean stretching out the mystery factor and I've seen many a series become boring as a result.

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