Reviews

PondPhuwin did it again!!

Khun Thee and LookPeach did it again!!

There's no other Khun Thee and LookPeach than PondPhuwin. What a perfect way to close their story, especially since they knew Me and Thee just wasn't enough for us.

If you're looking for someone who's hilariously cringe but impossible not to love, that's Khun Thee. This series never fails to make you laugh and make your heart flutter. I also love that they added so many new scenes because a lot of them weren't in the novel, which made the series feel even more special.

A huge plus for giving us closure for Rome and Mhok too. 🤣🤣

And they did it again with the finale! Fans who attended the Episode 1 screening had no idea they were actually filming the final scene. 😂 Just like what they did with Me and Thee's ending.

The only thing I wish we got to see was Thee and Peach as parents. Is it just me, or does anyone else want more of that?

Overall, I highly recommend this series. Definitely not a waste of time. ❤️

Read More

If you enjoy intense love stories, this is definitely a must-watch!

Deep In accomplishes something very difficult to do: it tells two complete and equally compelling stories at the same time.

The series follows the "real-life" story of two actors who fall in love while filming a romance movie, while also immersing us in the story of the film they're making. What makes it even more impressive is that both narratives are carefully developed, emotionally engaging, and wrapped up in a satisfying way without leaving any loose ends.

The actors' story is absolutely captivating. From the very first episode, their connection pulls you in and makes you root for them every step of the way. At the same time, the story within the movie delivers a powerful emotional impact, adding another layer of drama that keeps you fully invested throughout the series.

The performances are one of the show's greatest strengths. The chemistry between the leads feels effortless and authentic, and their intimacy shines through in every scene, making the romance even more believable and heartfelt. On top of that, the character development is outstanding, allowing each of them to grow naturally in ways that feel both compelling and rewarding to watch.

Deep In stands out as one of the most iconic and innovative BLs of recent years. Without a doubt, it's a high-quality BL and an absolute must-watch!

Read More

A story within a story within a...

This series had me absolutely glued to my screen for every minute of every episode. The inner weavings of the filming of the BL series and the actors falling for each other and all of the complications that came from it drenched every corner of this story with intrigue. There were moments that the filmed series became so captivating that when the director yelled 'cut' it felt like the audience was also waking from the inner story with the actors. There's only been very few series / films I've watched that have managed to keep my attention this well. And even in the end, when you're sure you know everything, you realize maybe you didn't.

Truth be told, I think the more you watch this series, the deeper in you'll find yourself in love with it.

I honestly don't have many things to say about this in a negative capacity. If I really wanted to nitpick, I guess I could, but for what it IS and the quality of it as a whole along with the exceptional acting of Ollie and Shu Yuan, this is sliding into my all time favorite BL list and making it an EASY contender for best CBL of the year.

Read More

The opposite of what I expected

This was a really cool series and something totally unexpected. I have a bad habit on picking movies or series based on their poster. This series came across my fyp on Netflix once and I just couldn't help it so I immediately put it on my list. Some time past and I realised I forgot to watch the show, so here I am. I am genuinely surprised, mainly because it's an Netflix original. Look, Netflix makes good shows for sure, but a lot of times I just don't like them. Aside from that, this is an amazing series, actually fun and I love the plot.

One thing I always appreciate is a good character introduction. I never questioned who did what and what their backstory was. In the beginning I was a bit confused about the amount of characters but after a bit it starts making sense. I was irritated by Chae Ni in the beginning. Her behaviour just pissed me off but after a few episodes she seemed stronger and I started liking her more. The character development is insane here. After Chae Ni, Gyeong Un and Kang Ro Bin find out about the wonder kids they just seem different. More mature, more locked in and their motivation to work for Lee Un. I was confused what power each one of them had but I loved how I figured that out around the same time as they realised it.

The production of this is soo good, I'm in love with it. I don't watch many Kdrama's and prefer Thai drama's but this show is just... amazing. The director, Yoo In Shik has made a lot of shows that I want to watch like Extraordinary Attorney Woo. I'm just surprised by the clean transitions. I really like certain shots and some scene's. I'm actually rlly surprised about the quality of the series and it is way nicer than I expected. The composer is amazing with a huge portfolio aswell. I'm a big fan of the intro with the cool stop motion and art done.

The reason my review is a bit lower than others is because I did feel bored in the beginning, especially the first episode. Actually, I was about to drop it after the first episode. The only reason I stayed was her wish to travel and I expected her to. Kinda disappointed she didn't. But then after the surprise of the powers, I started getting very locked in. I have to admit that I had trouble staying focussed and wasn't binge watching it like I usually do. I also stayed for the romance between Lee Un Jeong and Eun Chae Ni. Actually, I didn't ship them at first and didn't even expect any romance but something in Lee Un's eyes gave off some adore sooo I could't help myself. But don't watch this series for romance. Not gonna lie, for humour this really wasn't for me. I rlly loved the friendship between Son Gyeong, Kang Ro Bin and Chae Ni but the jokes just didn't hit for me. Maybe I'm just to much of a serious person... Also the plot for the grandma was confusing me, like she did what, huh?

I'm disappointed in Lee Un Jeong... why did he do that????? Honestly, his character confuses me a bit. I find him insanely handsome and I just assumed he was an introvert. His backstory is really sad but I'm just confused why he sent Chae Ni to those ppl for her heart. Maybe I just missed a detail I was honestly very distracted unlike other times when I watch series. Also why did he suddenly regret it?? Anyways... his looks bro. I just didn't like the ending. Too much new plot and just got confused over and over again. This is just not for me.

Overall, I expected them to travel and not this dark. I did really enjoy this but it was hard to get through. But it might be because it's not my usual genre. Please watch it yourself to form an opinion!!I hear a lot of people talking about wanting a 2nd season, honestly, I would love that even if I didn't like the series that much. I rlly hope they'll actually travel the world if there comes a season 2. Anyways, I enjoyed it but it was not my type of drama.

Read More

Excellent Performances, Frustrating Writing

I had very mixed feelings about this drama. There were moments when I genuinely loved it, and others where I found myself questioning some of the writers' choices. By the end, I walked away appreciating its performances, visuals, and emotional moments more than the story itself. It's a drama that does many things well, but one major storyline prevented me from loving it as much as I wanted to.

The premise immediately stood out because it didn't feel like a typical modern C-drama. Instead of the usual office buildings and wealthy CEOs, the story takes place largely in Thailand and revolves around racing, boxing, mechanics, and underground competitions. That rebellious atmosphere gave the drama its own identity and made it visually refreshing. The racing scenes were particularly enjoyable. While I'm not an expert on motorsports, the technical aspects, action sequences, and overall presentation felt convincing enough to keep me invested. It became one of my favorite parts of the series.

The cinematography also deserves praise. The Thailand locations gave the drama a softer yet adventurous atmosphere that perfectly complemented the emotional journey of the characters. Combined with a beautiful soundtrack and meaningful symbolism woven throughout the story, the production created an experience that often felt richer than the plot itself.

Performance-wise, He Yu completely stole the show for me.Jin Zhao is easily the emotional center of the drama, and He Yu portrays him with remarkable restraint. Rather than relying on dramatic outbursts, he communicates through subtle expressions, lingering glances, and quiet pauses. Every smile, every moment of hesitation, and every heartbreak felt genuine. Even when I strongly disagreed with Jin Zhao's decisions later in the story, I never stopped appreciating He Yu's performance. He carried the emotional weight of nearly every important scene and made Jin Zhao someone I continued rooting for despite his flaws.

I know many viewers struggle with her voice or the type of characters she usually plays, but I honestly think this is one of her strongest performances so far. Jiang Mu is written as a sheltered, wealthy eighteen-year-old who is spoiled, impulsive, dramatic, and often frustrating. I didn't always like her personality, but I completely believed the character. Esther never tried to make Jiang Mu more likable than she was supposed to be, and I appreciated that honesty in her performance. I still prefer her role in My Journey to You, but this drama showed another side of her acting that deserves recognition.


That said, the romance itself left me conflicted. The biggest obstacle for me was the entire sibling setup.Yes, the drama technically explains that they aren't related by blood because Jin Zhao was adopted. But that explanation never completely erased the psychological reality of how they were raised. These two characters grew up believing they were siblings, yet once they reunite as adults, the romantic tension begins almost immediately. There is almost no period of adjustment, self-reflection, hesitation, or internal conflict.

That was incredibly uncomfortable for me.

The constant childhood flashbacks showing their innocent sibling relationship immediately followed by scenes of obvious romantic tension created a contrast I never fully accepted. It often felt like the story relied on the "not actually related" explanation as a technical loophole instead of exploring the emotional complexity such a situation would realistically create.

Thankfully, once I managed to look past that aspect, I found myself becoming invested in the relationship itself.

Unfortunately, the drama then introduced another storyline that frustrated me even more.

After the time skip, the tone becomes significantly darker and far more emotional. While I appreciated that shift, Jin Zhao's decisions surrounding his illness became my biggest issue with the entire series.

I completely understood why he wanted to protect Mu Mu.What I couldn't accept was that he made the decision for her.Instead of trusting the woman he loved, he disappeared from her life, ignored her messages, convinced everyone around him to lie, and allowed six years to pass without giving her the opportunity to decide whether she wanted to stay beside him.

I've never liked the "I'm leaving because I love you" trope, and this drama didn't change my mind.If someone truly loves you, they deserve the truth. Let them decide whether they want to face hardship together instead of taking that choice away from them.

Ironically, one of my favorite scenes in the entire drama comes from San Lai.

He confronts Jin Zhao and says exactly what I had been thinking the entire time. Protecting someone shouldn't mean denying them the ability to choose. That conversation finally gave voice to my own frustration and made me appreciate San Lai even more.

He was honestly one of my favorite supporting characters.He brought humor whenever the story became too heavy, but more importantly, he wasn't afraid to challenge Jin Zhao whenever he believed he was making poor decisions. He wasn't simply there to support the male lead unconditionally. He questioned him, argued with him, and acted like a genuine friend.

Unfortunately, even San Lai disappointed me during the six-year separation.
Watching him participate in keeping the truth from Mu Mu felt completely out of character after everything he had previously stood for. It weakened one of my favorite supporting relationships simply to preserve the unnecessary misunderstanding.

The supporting cast as a whole was enjoyable, although most of them never received enough development to become memorable beyond their connection to the main couple. Lin Sui was another character I liked, but many supporting roles ultimately functioned more as emotional support for the protagonists than fully developed individuals with stories of their own.

The drama also missed opportunities to strengthen several emotional relationships.

One example was Jiang Mu's relationship with her parents. Their treatment of her following the family conflict never receives the emotional resolution I hoped for. Their refusal to let her see her grandfather one last time was genuinely heartbreaking, yet the story moves forward without fully addressing the emotional damage they caused.

Despite all my criticisms, I never stopped enjoying the racing storyline.

Those scenes consistently brought excitement whenever the emotional drama became too overwhelming. The action was well choreographed, the competitions were entertaining, and the entire mechanic and garage setting helped distinguish the series from countless other modern romances.

My biggest criticism, however, remains the second half.

The emotional stakes become much higher, but many of the conflicts rely on frustrating decisions rather than natural character growth. The accident storyline was particularly difficult to watch because so much suffering could have been avoided through simple honesty. Instead of creating emotional catharsis, it often created unnecessary frustration.

Still, there is a lot to admire here.The acting is genuinely excellent, especially from He Yu. The visuals are beautiful, the Thailand setting gives the drama a unique atmosphere, the soundtrack fits every emotional moment perfectly, and the racing sequences provide enough excitement to balance the heavier themes.

This ended up being one of those dramas where I admired the performances more than the writing.He Yu delivered one of my favorite performances in a modern C-drama, Esther Yu proved once again that she's capable of much more than the cute roles she's often given, and the production created a world that felt fresh and visually distinct.

I just wish the story had trusted its characters enough to let them communicate honestly instead of relying on prolonged secrecy and unnecessary sacrifice.

The performances, racing, visuals, and emotional atmosphere kept me invested until the very end. If only the writing had shown the same confidence as its cast, this could have been something truly special.

Read More

Wow. This was something..lol

This is a drama that embodies the catch phrase- So bad its good. This is something to be watched when you just want to turn your brain off and relax, and be entertained by laughing at what you're watching. Its great if there's a watch party, in fact I think that's what the makers of this show had in mind when they made it. Atleast I hope so.

I did have fun on this journey, but not sure if I'd like to repeat it. This is just something you should experience once in your life and then move on. I won't rate this above 7, as that'd be an insult to all the average AND great shows I've watched, as this falls under none of those categories. Its still unique, even after having a thousand clichés, and that's the reason why I felt the need to start my very first review on MDL with this one.

Read More

This is my first time writing a review here hehe
In my opinion, this drama is definitely worth watching! Honestly, I was a bit anxious when I saw episodes 1-2, because once again HYT plays the role of a smart, all-around student. And I thought TXW as a genius would be too stiff. But after watching it until now, I was really surprised by how well their acting matched. I've seen a lot of dramas, so I'm a bit picky about watching dramas with good acting from the cast. And this drama delivered exactly what I wanted!!! Even though the story is cliche, the idea is ordinary, but they managed to deliver it with such warmth, that I couldn't stop watching it! Hahaha
I don't recommend many dramas, but I would recommend this as something that touches the heart, and makes your heart feel warm!
Competition, hate, love, friendship, I think it's very natural when we're teenagers, especially in high school when we're trying to find our identity. I don't hate ML, because what he did was logical (note: I'm still watching the latest episode)
So you can watch this drama without any worries because it will be so interesting!

Read More

What the f* was this drama

I think all my reviews will end up being dedicated to Esther Yu, because all her dramas SHOCK me.

Speed ​​and Love is the current thing, so well-regarded that it made me start watching even knowing who the FL was. And sure enough, it was impossible to watch. She acts like a child, moans like a child, talks like a child, and in this drama there was an even worse point: they were (or at least should have been) half-siblings.

So there's this whole dynamic where ML is the older brother and acts as such, while she acts like a child. Without any exaggeration, he dries her hair, peels her apples for her, takes the scallions off her plate, goes to college as her GUARDIAN. It's bizarre. In one scene he chops up meat for her to eat. What is that if not a bizarre fetish?

In fact, in the first two episodes, Esther Yu appears with beautiful clothes, beautiful hair, and a womanly demeanor, which changes completely after that, when she starts to appear with f*ing pigtails, overalls, hair clips, everthing to make her character just like a child, and the ML feel attracted to that wierd thing.

What shocks me the most is that people are entertained by this, liking it, loving it, and recommending it. The story, by the way, is super interesting. As in all of Esther Yu's dramas, the ML is amazing, and she's there to RUIN everything. The character has a very interesting backstory; he's a true warrior, a survivor of social inequality. And she's the opposite. Because of her parents' divorce, he was forced to take care of her father, while she stayed with her mother, living a life of luxury.

I understand the "my way or the highway" life, but it doesn't work here. I thought we'd have a supporting character like Sang Zhi from Hidden Love was to Diaxu, someone who would see through ML's situation and be supportive, a strong arm in his life.

Here, on the contrary, Esther Yu's character becomes just another problem in our ML's already troubled life. She doesn't come along to take some weight off his shoulders, but to add even more, since, even though she's an 18-year-old woman, she acts like a child who can't even chew on a pig's leg without ML having to chop it up (literally!!!!!).

Honestly, it's disgusting. It's a fetishistic project that only shows how sick the world is to be okay with a relationship like this. I hope to see He Yu in other dramas, cause he is gooooood. And it makes me even more mad the fact that I have seen Esther Yu acting like a woman (and not a child) and she's really good, but the directors keep chosing to cast her on fetishistc projects. Hope to her in other dramas playing deep characters that I know she is capable of.

Read More

What Started as a Family Matter Soon Becomes Everyone’s Problem

Came for Roh Yoon-seo, but stayed for the story. I had no idea what the show was about at first, but I was hooked from Episode 1.

The plot does get a little confusing in the middle, especially since some characters’ backstories aren’t fully explained. That said, it’s only 8 episodes long, so the pacing is pretty fast.

One thing that really stood out was the production quality. The budget clearly shows—none of the scenes looked fake, and I was completely immersed throughout.

I’d definitely recommend binge-watching this instead of spreading it out over several days, as it’s much easier to follow that way. Overall, despite a few confusing moments, it’s a solid watch that I’d recommend.

Read More

FORGET THE LITTLE DOWNSIDES, IT'S TOO GOOD TO PAY ATTENTION TO THEM!

Was hooked from the get go. I loved the FL and her elegant cold yet soft inside character. She is such an incredible beauty! I'm all for He Yu, my gosh such a sight for these old eyes. Here for him bc of "Speed and Love". Such a different character but still hot as hell. But even if he was ML, if the script and plot and acting don't get me, then I drop it no matter who or what. I've dropped dramas before even tho I am crazy about the actors bc the script or execution or direction didn't hook me. This wasn't any of that, I loved it all!! When she finally confessed I was beyond gone, it was so beautiful and his face was ecstatic. I didn't think I could move on from shipping He Yu and Esther Yu, but I did and I did without guilt.
His struggle with this poison was very hard to watch, he made it look so real. She showed such aloofness but still cared about his burden.
One thing that confused me was that it was never revealed to anybody not even the Crown Prince, that she had another person inside her. ?? EXCEPT for Prince Qin when he was dying. As it should be.

WTH moment: I was very confused that she was having such attacks from the Consort and having to fight for her life and her "girls" so I kept expecting her father and brother to show up in force to rescue her. But they virtually disappeared from the drama after her confession.

I was excited about Jeremy Tsu being in this drama, but suddenly I was noticing the same facial expression and mannerisms that have followed him in drama after drama and it got annoying. Yes that is what made him famous especially his intense eyes, but an actor HAS to move on from that and develop other mannerism according to the character and plot. He made a good villain however and I was very glad when he died. His constant stalking and obsessive behavior became insufferable, but Jeremy Tsu being the good actor that he is, executed it perfectly.

Another WTH moment: The 2FL is supposed to be a man and yet the cold Prince falls in love or seems to be falling for him/her before he knew she was a she. His actions were so blatantly in love and yet NOBODY mentioned that it was two "men" acting all weird. I hated that they disappeared to run off to be together long before the ending. I loved Bu Shu Lin and wished they used her more, but I understand that she had to leave to be a woman. However, I really thought that since they found a replacement that she would keep acting as the replacement. But I guessed wrong.

3rd WTH moment: What was this coming back from the dead stunt at the end? Commenters have said that one has to watch the Special Episode to get what happened, but I still didn't get it. I will have to re-watch the final episode to see what I missed. I didn't understand HOW he came back and where was he all this time? Very frustrating. BUT I still cried when she saw him standing under the tree. It was a bit strange that she just took it for granted that he had returned after 4 years. BUT, It still was a touching moment.

Special Mentions: His death scene. I was so sure that they would rescue him and give him acupuncture or whatever, I was already tearing up though. Then when I fully realized that he really did die lying beside her and she stayed with him in that snow, I lost it. I cried so long and hard I gave myself a headache.
Her dream of him and her and their little boy all together. At first I was confused, thought she was imagining him but the little boy acknowledged him and I thought then that it had to be a dream and it was and I got choked up over that.
When Bai Chen was writing out all the things for each year he knew he wouldn't be around for to teach his son. (I'm choking up just remembering this) Then his Mother reading them to him later.
Bei Chen giving his men their special roles after he's gone.
Tian Yuan's fierce love and loyalty for his Crown Prince. His crying over his condition, his death and then when he got the handkerchief, the joy. I loved this kid and his character. I hope to see him more. Maybe as a ML one day. His acting is up to par for that.
I loved watching the back story of the Emperor and how he became his Father and finally WHO actually poisoned him. I thought it was sad that it turned out to be the Empress Dowager who seemed to have loved him. Retribution of her going mad when she realized she killed her biological grandson, was a good scene.

In the end, I give this a 9, bc to me Pursuit of Jade, which I gave a 10, is still the best for 2026. thus I can't give other dramas a higher score than 9. It ranks up there though as being another great power drama!

Read More

BL Drama of the year

Payback was one of the best adaptations I've ever watched. It was faithful to the manhwa, but with a few altered details that only added to the story rather than getting in the way. They provided even more context for situations that weren't fully explained in the manhwa, such as Sky's trauma. The script was incredibly well constructed, the OSTs were captivating, and the actors? MinLee and Toptap (along with the rest of the main cast) my goodness, they were born for these roles. It's such a pity it was so short; I would have easily watched 20 episodes if it had them!

Read More