Reviews

Messy, Inconsistent, and Frustrating

I went into Cinderella and the Four Knights expecting something like a reverse harem setup, but it really doesn't play out that way. It kind of sets that expectation early on, especially with Kang Hyeon Min showing interest in Eun Ha Won in the first few episodes, but then he just drops it and acts like it never mattered. I thought he was genuine too, but nope.

Kang Hyeon Min’s whole dynamic with Park Hye Ji was honestly one of the most frustrating parts. He is clearly written as someone who has feelings for her, but he's extremely mean and dismissive toward her. It gets repetitive too. After a while I was just thinking how many times will you let this man mistreat you before it becomes obvious this is not going anywhere? Their scenes together never really built believable tension or romance either, so instead of being angsty it just came off as awkward and cringe.

Then there's Kang Ji Un, who is supposed to be the quiet, emotionally guarded type who ends up liking Eun Ha Won. But even that storyline feels like it keeps getting tangled with the other pairings in a way that doesn't really make sense. At times, the way Kang Ji Un acts and positions himself makes it seem like he has feelings for Park Hye Ji, but it turns out he was just being a good friend. Let me tell you, the things he did, no friend would do that for a platonic friend. For example, when Kang Ji Un saw how hurt Park Hye Ji was due to Kang Hyeon Min's cold and harsh words, he approached Eun Ha Won saying, "Does it make you happy that Kang Hyeon Min bought you expensive clothes and brought you to eat at a place like this? I can do that much for you, too." Uh… what? Or when he tells Park Hye Ji, "Do you remember when I told you I'd protect you? I wasn't just saying that. Even though I can't do anything about all the hurt Kang Hyeon Min has given you, I'll protect you from being hurt by him from this point on." Then he inserts himself between Eun Ha Won and Kang Hyeon Min and says, "I'm going to try to steal your fiancée." It just ends up reinforcing the idea that Kang Ji Un had feelings for Park Hye Ji.

Overall, the romantic dynamics feel scattered and underdeveloped. Instead of a solid love triangle or reverse harem setup, it comes off like mismatched ideas that never quite settle into something satisfying. I honestly felt like the writers had no idea what they were writing, but just threw in every cliché they could think of for the drama.

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Do yourself a favor, skip!

I was really looking forward to this drama since it looked like an interesting mix of medical drama and fantasy, and I was also curious because I think Ahn Jae-hyun is a good actor. I actually really like him in comedic roles, but this role just did not suit him at all. His performance felt stiff in a lot of emotional scenes and at times, awkward, and it made it hard to take his character seriously.

I also don’t think Ku Hye-sun is all that of a good actress. I feel like she tends to go over the top with her acting choices, and instead of feeling emotional, it just comes off as cringe and distracting. That really pulled me out of the story quite a few times. I’ve seen her other works too and I get the same feeling.

Another big issue for me was the chemistry between the two leads. I didn’t really feel any connection between them, so it made it hard to root for their relationship or care about the romance at all.

The beginning of the story actually had potential and was kind of interesting with the hospital setting and the vampire surgeon concept, but after episode 6 it really started to drag. The pacing got boring, the plot stopped feeling engaging, and I honestly couldn’t even keep watching after that.

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The Penthouse: War in Life (All 3 Seasons) — A Review for Normal People

Let me be very clear about something before we begin: The Penthouse is not a good drama. It is, however, possibly the most compelling television experience you will ever have, and those are two completely different things that should not be confused.
I watched all three seasons. Back to back. Do I regret it? No. Can I explain why? Also no. Welcome to Hera Palace.
What is this show, exactly?
Imagine someone took a telenovela, fed it steroids, dressed it in a Chanel suit, moved it to a 100-floor luxury penthouse in Seoul, and gave it an unlimited budget for glassware. That's The Penthouse. It's The Bold and the Beautiful but make it Korean, make it louder, and triple the number of dramatic staircase confrontations.
This is not a show you watch to feel things. You will not cry. You will not fall in love with anyone. You will not lie awake at night thinking about the deeper meaning of a scene. What you will do is watch one episode at 10 PM and suddenly it's 3 AM and you're on episode 8 and you have work tomorrow and you simply do not care.
That is the magic of The Penthouse. It doesn't earn your emotions. It kidnaps your attention. There's a difference.
The Plot (loosely)
Rich people live in a fancy building. They want more money, more power, and their mediocre children admitted to a prestigious arts school. People scheme. People betray each other. People fall off things. People die — but don't worry about that last part, because death in this universe is more of a suggestion than a permanent condition.
Season 1 establishes the chaos. Season 2 escalates it. Season 3 looks you dead in the eye and says "you thought Season 2 was a lot?" and then doubles it. The crime changes each season. The concept does not. This is a feature, not a bug.
The Acting
Let's talk about the acting — and I say this with full affection — it is UNHINGED. Everyone is performing at a level that suggests they were told the cameras were fifty meters away and they needed to be seen from there with the naked eye. Kim So-yeon as Cheon Seo-jin deserves a special award that doesn't exist yet, something like "Outstanding Achievement in Controlled Hysteria." Um Ki-joon as Joo Dan-tae plays evil so committedly that you start to wonder if he needs a wellness check in real life.
The characters do not talk to each other. They announce at each other. Every conversation is a declaration. Every revelation is delivered at a volume appropriate for a stadium. And somehow — SOMEHOW — it works.
The Glass Budget
I need to dedicate a paragraph to the glassware situation because it deserves academic recognition. Conservative estimates put the number of items swept off desks, smashed against walls, or dramatically shattered per episode at three to five. Minimum. I began to wonder if there was a glass sponsor. I began to wonder if somewhere in Seoul there is a warehouse purely dedicated to supplying The Penthouse with things to break. Wine glasses. Picture frames. Vases. Full dinner sets. Nothing is safe. No surface is sacred. The interior designers of Hera Palace must be in therapy.
The Name-Calling
Another thing you need to prepare for: everyone's name will be screamed at full volume approximately forty times per episode. "SHIM SU-RYEON!" "JOO DAN-TAE!" "OH YOON-HEE!" It becomes a rhythm. A percussion track running underneath every scene. You will start hearing character names in your sleep. You will mutter them while making coffee. This is normal. This is the Penthouse experience. Embrace it.
Who is this for?
Everyone, genuinely. There is no nudity. The blood exists but it's theatrical — you won't have nightmares, you won't need to look away. It's the kind of dramatic blood that exists to make a scene look important, not to traumatize you. And as previously established, nobody really stays dead anyway, so even the mortality stakes are manageable.
This show is for the person who's exhausted and just wants to watch chaos unfold from a safe distance. It's for the person who grew up waiting for the 9 PM drama slot on TV — that specific anticipation of sitting down and letting something ridiculous wash over you without demanding anything from your brain. It's not prestige television and it has never pretended to be. It's a getaway. A full three-season vacation from reality, logic, and the laws of physics.
What you should NOT do while watching
Do not try to logic it. I am begging you. The plot holes are not holes — they are design choices. Do not try to relate to the characters, because unless you are personally fighting over a trillion-dollar empire and a spot in an elite music academy, you will find no common ground and that's entirely the point. Do not empathize, do not get jealous, do not catch butterflies for anyone. Just watch Joo Dan-tae be evil, watch the women scheme magnificently, and let another vase get thrown at a wall.
Final Verdict
The Penthouse will not make you a better person. It will not expand your emotional vocabulary or leave you with profound thoughts about the human condition. What it will do is completely hijack three weeks of your evenings and leave you weirdly satisfied about it.
It is junk food television of the highest order — and I mean that as a compliment. Sometimes you don't want a Michelin-star meal. Sometimes you want the whole bag of chips at midnight, no regrets.
Watch it. Don't think. Just enjoy the ride.
And maybe pour yourself a drink — in a plastic cup. You know, just to be safe.

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Did I have low expectations with this drama?

***BURNOUT SYNDROME***
10 Episodes ... BL Drama
Featuring: Gun & Off

The artwork is exquisite which I have to make to be the opening remark! Whoever is truly doing the artwork, has a beautiful eye for art. The Artistic work is what compels me to continue to watch this drama! The intensity of what goes into the drawing & how Jira feelings flow into each of his drawings.

Let's begin with the *Burnout Club*. Interesting concept for those who are stressed out, and meeting a stranger to either vent or just to find out more about each other. This drama gives off so many different emotions, especially with Koh. He goes through so many emotions that it made me a bit dizzy... more so with what he is going through with Jira. Personally, the shipping just was not there.. and leaned heavily toward Jira and Pheem take off. The annoyance of Koh always hitting at the wrong time was overwhelming. If this is what the writer wanted the viewer to experience... It's a success for me personally.
Then came the realization of his Art being the forefront of Jiras Heart. Especially understanding the Bad Boy syndrome being an attraction to the heart.

With everything Pheem is going through.. can't help but want to throw some hugs his way. The rollercoaster of emotions regarding Jira is overwhelming him.
HOWEVER, if I were to put my heart out there because of the crap that Jira is going through.. it would be his friend Ing. OMG, talk about a good friend.. all the coverups that she has to do for Jira. It's annoying, but at the same time hilarious. Jira has issues of not wanting to just make a final decision. He is so confused with his emotions, that it's more detrimental to him than beneficial.
In my personal opinion, Episode 8 is when I can feel everything is starting to form an understanding between Jira & Koh.
If I were to put a spoiler in here... the only thing I would say is how much I cried for Pheem.
The rest of the drama is something I'm not going to mention.. You'll have to come to your own conclusions on how this drama snagged on your emotions.

Stay Healthy, Safe & Amazing

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Lack of romance was needed

First of all, acting so perfect. My girl Bo young eats every single role shes given whether its romcom melodrama or thriller. Genuinely the best actress and lets not forget my man sungcheol, and all the fine ass actors in here. i hope this drama gets more recognition because literally everyone did their big one😫

Okay now to their story; ive seen people complain about there being no romance and that the chemistry has gone to waste but i think it was pretty necessary. Regarding their situation, there's literally no room for any romance between the main characters, heeju's greed took over her and to be fair she never really 'loved' anyone. She even said it, she only liked the feeling of being with do gyeong not him as a person. i also hated how she chose to trust everyone but woogi. But in the end, seeing them together it kinda gives me hope they might end up falling for each other. My top 3 best bo young's dramas.

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Gwi Stole Every Scene

Honestly, the main reason I watched The Scholar Who Walks the Night was for Lee Soo Hyuk. He completely owned that role from start to finish. Out of the entire cast, he was easily the most memorable presence onscreen. The character perfectly suited his visuals, voice, and overall aura. Lee Soo Hyuk naturally has that cold, sharp, intimidating energy, so playing a seductive and terrifying vampire villain felt like the ideal role for him.

Every time Gwi appeared, the drama instantly became more interesting. Even when the story started dragging or the romance lost my attention, his scenes kept me invested. He had this calm but unsettling presence that made him genuinely feel dangerous without needing to overact. His facial expressions, the way he spoke, and even the way he carried himself made Gwi stand out way more than the actual main characters for me.

I also liked that Lee Soo Hyuk made Gwi charismatic instead of just purely evil. There was something strangely captivating about him, which made it easy to understand why so many viewers ended up more interested in the villain than the heroes. Visually, he fit the gothic vampire concept perfectly too. Honestly, some scenes felt like they were designed specifically for him because of how naturally he embodied the dark fantasy atmosphere of the drama.

As for the overall story, I wasn’t nearly as invested. A lot of the plot felt overly dramatic and dragged out at times, and I didn’t feel strongly connected to the romance or the main couple. The pacing could also be inconsistent. But anytime Lee Soo Hyuk appeared as Gwi, the energy completely changed. He was easily the highlight of the drama and the main reason I kept watching until the end.

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The Ending Didn’t Feel Earned

I really couldn’t get into drama because I never bought the main relationship between Jang Heetae and Kim Ilri. Knowing they started off as teacher and student immediately made the relationship uncomfortable for me, and the drama never fully convinced me to see it as romantic in the way it clearly wanted viewers to. Even when the story moved forward and they were older, that dynamic still lingered in the background and made it hard for me to become emotionally invested in them as a couple.

The drama tried to present their relationship as deep, passionate, and complicated, but I just found it difficult to connect to emotionally because the foundation of it already felt inappropriate to me. Instead of rooting for them, I spent most of the drama questioning the relationship itself. I also felt like the emotional decisions the characters made were supposed to come across as meaningful and poetic, but a lot of it just felt frustrating or unrealistic instead.

On top of that, I really couldn’t believe the ending either. After everything the characters went through, the resolution didn’t feel convincing or emotionally satisfying to me. It felt like the drama wanted the audience to accept certain choices and outcomes without properly earning them through the storytelling. By the end, I just couldn’t fully buy into the relationship or the conclusion the drama never worked for me.

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Lee Soo Hyuk Stole Every Scene

The best part of Lucky Romance for me was easily Lee Soo Hyuk as Choi Geon Uk, aka Gary Choi. His character was genuinely refreshing, charming, and unexpectedly adorable. I’m so used to seeing Lee Soo Hyuk play cold, mysterious, brooding characters with intimidating energy, so it was really nice seeing him in a lighter and more playful role for once. Gary had this awkward but sincere charm that made him stand out every time he was onscreen. Even his smaller mannerisms and expressions made the character lovable without trying too hard. Honestly, he brought a lot of warmth and personality to a drama that I otherwise struggled to stay invested in. A lot of my enjoyment came from his scenes because he naturally made things feel more entertaining and less repetitive.

Unfortunately, I really didn’t care for the overall story. The plot felt dragged out and repetitive after a while, and a lot of the conflict relied too heavily on misunderstandings, superstition, and forced romantic tension. The drama kept circling the same ideas without making the emotional development feel satisfying. I also found it hard to fully connect with the main couple because the relationship progression didn’t feel that natural to me. There were moments that were supposed to feel quirky or heartwarming, but instead they just felt overly exaggerated or predictable.

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great yet very devastating .....

this drama isn't for the faint of heart , didn't think I would like it at first but I was very wrong .
a great thriller with great emotional depth that kept us on edge till the very end even though the killer was revealed before the last episodes yet you kept going wanting to see justice served .

kang tae ju's character was very well written , he was willing to sacrifice everything for the truth and justice to be served even going as far to making an alliance with his school bully , man I thought they would be on the same side and set their difference aside for catching the serial killer , yet the ending was devastating , I truly hated when he had to leave town before catching the real killer to save his sister.

cha si yeong can't make my mind about his character yet for me he was a gray character it wasn't his intention to do wrong yet he aided the serial killer to escape jail all those years one way or the other and went as far as convicting innocent people to get credit , raise and his father's approval , he was a very despicable person for what he did in the little girl's case and no even giving her family a closure or an apology .

Gi Beom 's death was truly sad and devastating , didn't think it would end that way.
Gi hwan's character was quite rushed like we didn't get where did his obsession with stocking come from? and what really annoyed me is that he didn't get what he deserve he seemed to enjoy his time in jail and talking to tae ju .

the ending was truly devastating no one got what they deserve , the only who was being criticized was tae ju and that little girl's family never got justice for their daughter's death.

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Heeju is such an unlikable character. The fact that we don't know much about her dilutes whatever story they are telling.
At first I was so mad at her for making all this dumb decisions and following her bf so blindly. The next episodes do give us some backstory and context on why she did all of that but still it was frustrating to watch.

Heeju only survived all this due luck. Somehow she had Woogi's deep loyalty and her father finds her at the correct time and sacrifices his life for her. Woogi's initial loyalty can be chalked up to him having some brains and realizing the only way he could get some money is by being on her side but him trying to save her multiple times even after she made it clear that she didn't trust him...foolish af.
Her parents story was emotional though.

They tried to do a theme of how people get greedy and everything and it worked for a while with Heeju's mentality being no gold no life but then they kinda throw it away with Heeju going around saving everyone she doesn't trust and then crying that she just wants to live a normal life.
Maybe they were trying to do a nuanced take on greed and stuff but it just didn't work

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Doh Kyung Soo!

I can appreciate what this drama tackled topics that most dramas at the time avoided, and I can respect the effort to normalize conversations around trauma, mental illness, and healing. You can tell the drama wanted to say that people struggling mentally still deserve love, understanding, and support instead of being treated like they’re broken. Some moments genuinely handled loneliness, trauma, and emotional isolation really well.

Gong Hyojin’s acting...there were moments where her performance felt too exaggerated for the tone the drama was aiming for, especially in emotional arguments or scenes that were supposed to feel intimate and vulnerable. Instead of feeling natural, some reactions came across as theatrical, which pulled me out of certain scenes. I also felt like the execution of Ji Haesoo’s intimacy issues wasn’t handled as carefully as the writers probably thought it was. At first, it seemed like they were setting up a deep exploration of trauma and emotional fear, but later on it felt inconsistent and rushed. If anything, it sometimes came across like the writers overdid her avoidance of intimacy just to create a bigger contrast between her being “pure” and Jang Jaeyeol being known as a player and womanizer. Instead of naturally developing her healing process over time, the drama suddenly acts like she’s able to overcome years of fear almost overnight once romance fully kicks in. It made her progression feel more plot convenient than emotionally earned. I think the storyline would’ve worked better if they spent more time showing gradual trust, setbacks, discomfort, and realistic healing instead of resolving it so quickly.

The standout performance for me was easily Doh Kyung Soo as Han Kang Woo. He completely stole every scene he was in. The scenes where he had to portray pain, fear, loneliness, and emotional suffering were done incredibly well and felt effortless on his part. His expressions alone carried so much emotion without needing exaggerated dialogue. There was a naturalness to his acting that made his scenes hit harder than a lot of the main storyline for me. It’s honestly hard to believe this was one of Doh Kyung Soo’s earlier acting roles because he already showed so much control and emotional depth. He never looked like an idol trying to act. He felt fully immersed in the role from beginning to end.

Honestly, I found myself way more invested in Han Kang Woo’s scenes than the main romance. Doh Kyung Soo brought a level of sincerity and emotional realism that made his storyline unforgettable, and by the end, he was the main reason I kept watching.

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Girl Rules, where the first rule is don’t break your own rules.

That sentiment also goes for the writers too.

This was designed to be messy, and if you’re hoping to see good things with established ships, then for the most part expect to be disappointed. If you view GL from a more neutral standpoint and are looking for something different to the usual couples falling in love and ending up together, then this might be one to watch.

Each episode is written around a specific rule, and how each of the characters either breaks it, or show how they handle it. That aspect of the series is well written and directed, and credit should be given for that.

When writing, directing and producing a series like this, your first rule should be to research the content you are using, and the second is ensure you proof read it before using it, especially when using different writers for each episode. They clearly didn’t do this, and at one point they mixed up a gender expression with a sexual orientation, completely erasing bisexual identities in the process. They did reference pansexual, but with the lack of any butch mascs and other transitional gender roles, it leaves a bad taste. If you are going to write about LGBT+ issues, then proper research is essential, and good proof readers need to ensure mistakes like this don’t happen.

As for the plot, it focuses on three main couples, two are established ships, and a potential new pairing. In reality, it centers on one story focused around Namtam/Film, with the other two couples, Milk/Love and View/Mim, getting less attention and screen time, which hasn’t been received well in the fandoms.

There are three guest couples, one is a romantic couple who play Blossom’s owners in the plot, Kapook/Ciize who represent exes that interfere with Namtam/Film, and Emi/Bonnie who get involved in the messiness with Milk/Love.

The setting is split between their homes, work, vacations and nightlife. The work settings are a fashion house, production company and a photographer, that overlap with each other. The nightlife is mostly within a lesbian bar called Blossom, which shockingly has almost no butch representation at all.

It’s fast paced, with quick transitions between each sub-plot and high-octane music that changes frequently within each scene. That’s important, because this doesn’t follow the usual slow burn of a couple getting together, being torn apart by family tradition or homophobia but somehow ending up together anyway. In general, the music matches the messiness that unfolds, and that for me is the best part of this series, although others have expressed a dislike to it. Compared to other GL’s that lack the depth and emotion of the music, this one is on point. The OST reflects this, with upbeat tracks and decent beats.

There were some sound problems though, especially with the live music scenes and the screaming fans, which was largely distorted and lacked quality. In those episodes, I had to adjust the volume down quickly, or remove my earbuds.

Three of the established ships cross over, with Love hooking up with Namtan, Film hooking up with Milk, and to a certain extent, Emi trying to win over Love. For me, the writers missed an opportunity here. They had 12 episodes to completely screw with the ships, but all we got was one quick interaction with each that ended as quickly as they started. I would have liked to see more of these new pairings, and more involvement from Bonnie.

I understand why they didn’t though. They knew by messing with established ships that it would cause problems, which has already been shown with the series being received poorly within the fandoms. If you want something that has good kissing and love scenes, this is not a good choice. The focus is more on day to day lives rather than their intimacy.

Overall, it was a good first attempt at a more soap style GL, but the mistakes they made were poor. Trying to use the established ships meant they had to tread too carefully, when in reality we need to see the more realistic POV of messy lesbian and bisexual relationships, and the difficulties chasing straight girls. They have a good pool of actresses to choose from that are not already paired, and they should have used them. They need more butch and trans representation too.

It would have been better with more episodes, and to slow down the outcomes with more drama and more crossover of the ships. but maybe this was deliberate so they can carry on into a second series, although that seems unlikely. It has almost no re-watch value, because it doesn’t really have an overall storyline, although you might want to relive some of the specific drama scenes.

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my expectations and what I received

This might be by far the worst K-drama I've ever watched. I really liked the first season tho. What announced me was that the second season didn't pick up where the last scene of the first season ended,I was annoyed that we couldn't find out what happened in the museum (I think it was a museum).Also, the male lead turning into a second lead was very absurd and unnecessary.If this season had been at least as good as the first, it wouldn't have received such a bad review.At least it would have remained in our minds as an decent/good teen series, but unfortunately the screenwriter did a terrible job. By the way, I had set the rewatch value to 0.5, but the app says it needs to be at least 1. Anyway, so I'm reporting it here: I think the rewatch value should be 0/10.😬😐

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