Marshmallow Fluff
This is nothing but marshmallow fluff and an excuse to go to the beach and ride a boat. One unnecessarily loose end is tied up, leaving another in its wake. Lots of lovey talk and pseudo-psychology. i did wonder why the hotel that was supposed to have a Chinese/Thai cultural vibe had racing themes painted on the side of the building. This is a good time to refresh your popcorn and soda. Enjoy it if you like for the scenery and Fort's smile but it's not important.Oh. Peat has solo song and they sing the OST.
P.S. Who played that cute little waiter in the bar?
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K-drama worth watching
Never forget your dreams, even if nobody believes in you. Don’t give up. It doesn't matter if you spend 20 years waiting—in the end, you will always make it.Something Hwang Dong Man’s brother said:
"Every story is a cry that says 'I exist.' I exist in the midst of this pain, I exist in the midst of this sadness, I exist in the midst of this misery, I exist in the midst of this laughter. We will live for a hundred years, just a hundred years, and then we will be gone. Does that which is disappearing truly exist? To dispel those doubts, we frantically write stories. If you need to write new stories while you are alive, at least make them funny."
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This review may contain spoilers
Good drama at the start but not worth the time
The concept of a soulmate spell, time crossed lovers and time travel is a combination I have never come across before so I was very excited at first, but I soon became frustrated with the story.I was genuinely excited to watch this drama but very disappointed at the execution and writing. I do not watch dramas that constantly have woman suffering to prop up the male lead and this one does exactly that. Female lead had no serious backing or support and was essentially on her own as the male lead was completely unreliable and just made empty threats. He sacrificed his ‘soulmates’ safety for the sake of family reputation but couldn’t hide her or distance himself for her safety.
Female lead is bubbly and has a fun personality but I feel like all the men around her do not care for what she wants. After the failed attempt to send her home on the full moon she wanted to get a job and wait for the year to end but male lead forces her back to his house knowing that she will be schemed against time and time again. Male leads servant is the hidden villain of this story, he brought her to their world knowing that the second female lead is crazy and evil, he did not care for her safety or life all he wanted was for his master to find his soulmate and not think of the repercussions. The male friend of the female lead from her time period found her interests boring he was controlling and simply wanted her to be complacent yet unique.
Male lead never solved a single thing as someone who is supposed to be powerful his entire role is to save the female lead and I dislike such tropes. He was the whole reason she was in danger 24/7. If he maybe kept some distance or at the very least did not keep her in his house I feel like they could have removed some of the scheming and added more romance.
Second leads are evil and faced no consequences for most of the show besides a few beatings and scoldings. In present day time the grandma and her family have a gaggle of thugs working for them and are completely insane. Selfishness must have been past down through the generations as the only reason grandma Bua’s granddaughter went against her is in hopes that a man would want her. The grandson in both timelines is a disgusting character and only thinks of himself to the point of r*pe.
The spell chanters from the modern day were also extremely frustrating. I understand that it was a task pasted down from their ancestors but I find it odd how the female leads opinion was completely irrelevant to them besides the one time when the granddaughter asked.
The highlight of this show were the gang of servants they were funny and entertaining to watch even the servant of the second female lead made me laugh. They were supportive and had good relationships with their masters, witty and strong characters loved them 9/10. Except for the male leads personal servant of course.
I did enjoy the cute moments between the two leads and their interactions with the male leads family and servants. He comes from a loving household it’s simply unfortunate that his father was saved by a man who birthed an evil creature.
The acting was good second female lead was so good in her role, she portrayed a spoiled, deranged and scheming woman perfectly and same goes for the second male lead. The evil characters were definitely well acted. The good characters were good aswell and female lead had he giggling everytime she slapped herself to see if it was a dream.
Overall I feel like this drama had so much wasted potential and unnecessary torture so I stopped watching as I don’t want my heart to give out from stress. So if you enjoy torture p*rn and useless leads go ahead and and enjoy the show.
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More lakorn than BL
If you're looking the FortPeat dynamic, it's not here. Fort plays his usual devoted heroic savior with his devastating smile. Peat is less hystrionic than usual but still hasn't overcome his tendency to act cute instead being cute. That being said it was kind of nice to see them in a straight drama. It would've been nice if they stepped out of their usual roles, and I was kind of hoping that would happen, but they reverted in the end.This series reminded me much more of a lakorn than your usual BL/GL drama. It's a complicated story of feuding families, plots upon plots, backstabbing, betrayal and obsession.
The only thing BL/GL about it is the main relationship is M/M and the secondary couple is F/F. There are 1 or 2 token sensual scenes, but that was fine with me because I don't need overt sex to enjoy a drama. To quote another series, a little bit of kissing is fine.
The production value was good. The action sequences were well done. The background music was not as annoyingly inappropriate as usual.
Everything is mostly wrapped up in episode 10. The special episode is marshmallow fluff.
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Back To The Future--But More Heartwarming
I finally finished this with my sister and we LOVED it.I had wondered if the high rating was deserving, and I think it is.
It is certainly unique as far as Kdramas go; the pacing and plot does not feel particularly tropey or cliche in the typical Kdrama way, with a really unique main character setup since the the ML and his dad (who I guess is technically the 2ML) are basically equal parts the ML. We see more of the internal world of Eun Gyeol (the ML), but it's Ha Lee Chan that this story revolves around, and he is ultimately the main focal point.
It was SUCH an endearing premise and so beautifully executed. My sister and I loved how the ML basically acted as the parent his parents never had, and his presence in their past (paired with the love he shows them) changes all of their futures in such cool ways.
By going to the past, Eun Gyeol helped his parents deepen their connection to those around them and build lasting community built on found family, compassion, thoughtfulness, self-sacrifice and love. He opened up a new world for both of them out of the fullness of love they had given him that he gave back to them when they needed it most.
I also love the theme of a child learning compassion and empathy for their parents' story (this is true for the ML and FL). After traveling to his parents' past, Eun Gyeol has such a different perspective of the imperfect parents he already loved to pieces, and I just loved how much he cried over them and their hardships, struggles, and pain. (It was refreshing to see the ML cry so often, and over things completely unrelated to romance. He now might be one of my favorite MLs of all time.) And, ironically, while Eun Gyeol parents his parents, haha, he also gets to have a second childhood, learning how to let go, let loose, have fun and do what he loves. For the first time, he also allows himself to play, fall in love and be a kid. (And he gets to do that with his very own dad while they are the same age. Eun Gyeol is a fussy mother hen, though, and he drives Lee Chan bonkers in the most adorable ways. I love that Lee Chan can also eventually see the place of deep care his over-protectiveness comes from; that was a lovely touch).
Some didn't like the ending, as they say it was a cop out and gave the wrong message about what was important. I disagree. The way my sister and I saw it was that the changed future shows the results of the love and care Eun Gyeol gave his parents in the past that changed their stories and life trajectories (for the better). He helped catalyze their growth and launched them into a more secure, grounded, flourishing independence and confidence. Because of him, they had more tools, stronger relationships, and realizations that allowed them to grow into a more stable flourishing. A byproduct was that this allowed them to not NEED Eun Gyeol in the same unhealthy way they needed him before he went to the past, and which gave him the freedom and independence he always craved. By selflessly helping his parents, he helped himself.
Another thing I loved is that all the characters in the past learned some form of sign language to draw Cheong Ah into their world and help her belong. As a result, I think it ended up being a crucial part of the main characters' stories changing in the future. And while Eun Gyeol's relationship with his dad in the past is just adorable and hilarious, Eun Gyeol's relationship with his mom is precious--he gives her a voice, and fights for her to have the dignity of a human and the quality of life of a beloved daughter. His aggressive, unabashed protection of her was just brilliantly and beautifully showcased. Eun Gyeol displays a man at his best--when he's wielding his strength to fight for the dignity and flourishing of those unable to fight for themselves.
It's also nostalgic in a variety of ways because of when it takes place; the 90's setting gives it a slight flavor of Reply 1988 which had such a deeply aching, nostalgic quality to it (the last episode of that drama tore me into little pieces and left me in a puddle). Both dramas do such a great job capturing the lovely, fleeting beauty of youth, and the hope, dreams and joy that accompany it. Beautiful memories are forged in that time of life, and this is one of the dramas that capture some of the quality of what it might feel like to relive those memories.
I kind of wish Episode 16 wasn't so darn emotional (it packs a punch), but it's a beautiful ending, and I think they wrapped up everything very well. The way they filmed some of the last scenes reminded me of the way they retroactively brought Hayden Christensen to be Anakin Skywalker's ghost in Return of the Jedi instead of the old dude that originally played Darth Vader (and don't worry, I'm not saying anyone dies). You'll know what I mean when you see the end.
The cast was awesome, but Choi Hyun Wook was so darn stinkin' cute. He was hilarious, and fit the role to a T. He just steals your heart. This is also by far my favorite drama with Ryeoun, too. He acted his heart out, and I love his deep, soft, velvety voice. Neither ML stole the limelight, but together, they stole the screen. Cheong Ah was a close second in cuteness, and she did a fabulous job with just her expressions and eyes.
Such a heartfelt, poignant, powerful, and beautiful watch. Highly recommend!
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Excellent balance of Romance + Thriller, and Amazing acting by the 2 Male Leads
Crime dramas are usually not my go-to, but when the cast includes Jin Bo Ran and Qin Jun Jie, I have got to check it out. And I am glad I did, because they are both simply amazing. If you are a fan, you need to watch “Sunsets Secrets Regrets”.This drama is one of the rare crime dramas that balances romance and crime/thriller really well. Most of the time, romance is a side plot in this genre, but here, it is equally important. The plot is intriguing and I was kept on my seat throughout the drama. I personally don’t find Jin Bo Ran’s character, Jiang Han Sheng, too stalkerish. Well, I might be hypnotized by how hot Jing Bo Ran is in this drama, and I’ve never found him hot until now. The villain is equally amazing in his creepiness and a little over-the-topness. He’s charismatic and crazy, and has such a screen presence. However, it did take me some time to get used to the timeline changes in the early episodes. “Sunsets Secrets Regrets” does not shy away from violence, and there’s quite a bit. Some scenes are hard to watch, and as I was binge-watching, I had to take a little break and not watch too many episodes at once. It was that intense, especially when I saw what Jiang Han Sheng had gone through.
To me, the best part of the drama is seeing how amazing Jing Bo Ran and Qin June Jie are. Their characters are polar opposites, and their acting are as well. It was amazing to watch how Jin Bo Ran changes so swiftly from being intense and feral, and then looking lovingly at his wife. The subtle facial expressions and then the explosive intense burst of emotions are quite a sight to behold. In contrast to that, Qin Jun Jie who exudes this playboy sexiness. He’s loud and expressive, fun and carefree. Both suffer greatly in this drama and their cries pierce through my hearts. On the other hand, it took me a while to get into Elvira Cai’s acting. I love her in “Fake it Till You Make It” but I am not sure if she fits this role. It could also be her character that is making it difficult to like her. But towards the end, I warm up to her and especially like some of the more emotional scenes. Unfortunately, she couldn’t quite match up to her two male co-stars, who are just too excellent.
One other thing that bugs me is the makeup in this drama. Both Elvira Cai and Jing Bo Ran have thick white foundations. I just can’t help but stare at their gorgeous faces and shake my head. At times, music is quite loud and I couldn’t quite hear what they said. I do appreciate that the voices are not dubbed (at least I don’t think they are) as it would be a disservice to so many veterans here.
I almost forgot to mention this… I LOVE the bond between Jiang Han Sheng and Teacher Wang. They are so fun together and veteran actor, Du Yuan, cracks me up big time. It’s lovely to see a different side of Jiang Han Sheng when he’s with his teacher. Teacher Wang is more than a teacher at work, but also a love and relationship guru! Jiang Han Sheng still has a lot to learn from him.
I had a great (but stressful) time watching “Sunsets Secrets Regrets”. I recommend this to fans of the two male leads, and romance lovers who hesitate to watch crime dramas because most have lackluster romance. The love triangle here is well-written (and I love both guys). If you hesitate to watch because of the romance, don’t worry. It’s not a cheesy romance, but a mature and supportive one that works well with the greater plot. There are still elements that bug me, thus I am not giving this a super high rating.
Completed: 5/24/2026 Review #689
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Slow burn but good drama
While I don't write many reviews, this drama is one of only five that kept me hooked and interested in every episode. I appreciate the FL's strength, intelligence, and forgiving nature. I also admire the ML's ability to be both forceful yet tender towards his woman. The second ML was outstanding; despite his condition, he demonstrated immense willpower, though he sometimes appeared arrogant, refusing to succumb to his limitations. Any drama that makes me cry as deeply as the lead characters is a truly worthwhile watch.Was this review helpful to you?
Above average, but still just OK
This is a watchable drama, but definitely nothing new. I’ve seen C dramas similar to this. There was some fun moments, but also some frustrating moments that made me question why I was watching it.The good
The acting is the best part of the story. Everyone did a pretty good job and fit the role they were given pretty well. The webtoon story was interesting though not necessarily original since there are a lot of Webtoon themed kdramas out there that are quite similar. Of course, very attractive men as usual.
The bad
There were a lot of draggy parts and a lot of parts that made me question why I was watching this. The main female lead was very delusional in a lot of ways and her not wanting to live in the real world when it comes to dating almost got a little ridiculous towards the end. They dragged the main romance piece out far too long. It became pretty typical a lot of the other K dramas. I typically lean more towards watching C drama romances than K drama romances. The K dramas tend to do better at fantasy, sci-fi, and horror for me.
If this is your kind of drama though, cheesy romance then you may like this one. It was an easy watch and pass the time for me. I’d recommend watching it for yourself to make your own judgment on it.
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This review may contain spoilers
A Great Premise Haunted by Its Own Inconsistencies
Phantom Lawyer started off strong with an emotional and intriguing premise: a lawyer who can see ghosts connected to mysterious talismans left behind by a shaman. The early episodes were genuinely moving, with heartbreaking stories, unresolved regrets, and just enough supernatural mystery to keep me invested.Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, the series lost emotional momentum.
The biggest issue for me was the worldbuilding. The show wanted the mythology to feel deep and meaningful, but the rules surrounding the ghosts, possession, and talismans became increasingly inconsistent. We’re initially led to believe the main character is somehow “special” because he can see ghosts, only to later discover it’s mostly tied to incense left behind by the former tenant. Which immediately raises the question: if anyone can burn the incense, then what actually makes him unique?
The talisman setup also started to fall apart under scrutiny. There were dozens of talismans on the wall, each supposedly connected to a dead person drawn there by regret, yet ghosts conveniently appeared one at a time in neat storytelling order. Some had died recently, others decades ago, and the show never properly explains why certain spirits appear when they do. Instead of the mythology getting richer, it began feeling more like a weekly emotional formula.
The possession rules were another frustration. Early on, the show establishes clear conditions for ghosts taking over bodies, but later certain characters, especially the ML’s father, seem able to bend or ignore those rules whenever the plot requires it.
Emotionally, the drama also started running out of steam. By the time the story reached the father arc near the end, I found myself fast-forwarding through scenes that should have been the emotional climax of the series. The romance didn’t help much either. It never fully landed for me, and at one point I found myself more invested in the second male lead.
That said, the drama isn’t bad at all. Yoo Yeon-seok carries a lot of the show with charm and sincerity, and there are genuinely touching moments throughout. The premise itself is excellent. I just wish the writers had committed to deeper mythology, clearer supernatural logic, and stronger emotional escalation.
In the end, Phantom Lawyer felt less like a deeply haunting supernatural drama and more like a cozy emotional procedural that occasionally hints at greatness without ever fully reaching it.
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this is a must watch!!
Anything that has Park Hyung Sik will be good! He's such a phenomenal actor. Storyline is also good. There were some parts where I felt they dragged on for a bit so I don't think this drama needed 16 episodes... maybe 14 would have been good. The 2nd leads were entertaining to watch as well. A lot of funny moments in this series. I am relieved that Park Hyung Sik's character doesn't make amends with this family at the end. I like how they left it as him still needing to heal from the past trauma rather than having everyone end up being all happy together despite what they had gone through.Was this review helpful to you?
It was indeed “ A Splendid Match”
The whole point of this drama was the “splendid match” between a young, feisty, intelligent girl forced to grow up too quickly and an older man who is calm, clever, and incredibly cunning. The drama gave us exactly what it said it would from the title.From the romance and masterful plotting to the epic battle scenes and the young, brilliant emperor, everything was amazing. This is officially my favorite drama after The Untamed. It’s been a long time since I connected this deeply with a drama.
I have rewatched it so many times, I love every minute of it, I love YeXian character, WINWINs acting blew me away especially towards the end when he owned his character. Oh Cisha expressions on his face was just perfect. I am a sucker for people that act with their eyes, you can see pain, joy, sadness just from looking at their faces and for someone that was playing a calmer man, he nailed his role. That was a 100/10.
Overall the drama gave me what I wanted entertainment, I was entertained and that is all that matters.
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So many plot holes!
I wanted this to be better! It started out good but it seemed like the producers were working with a script that was missing pages.There wasn't very good chemistry between the actors, which was a shame, because I think both were talented; I just never got the vibe they clicked with each other.
That said, it was beautiful scenery! The setting was gorgeous and I would love to visit if I could.
I would like to see more LGBTQ productions with settings like the Steppes, possibly among the Uhgyurs or other ethnic groups in China, because each group has unique norms regarding sexual orientation.
This is the first BL I have ever given a rating under a 7.
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Just, not my cup of tea
The show had all the ingredients to be something emotionally intense and genuinely memorable, but it completely wasted its potential. A toxic relationship in itself is not a bad premise at all — some of the best dramas are built around complicated, unhealthy, or emotionally destructive relationships. The problem is that this series never actually does anything interesting with that idea. Instead of feeling layered, emotional, or psychologically compelling, it ends up feeling painfully empty and exhausting to sit through.The biggest issue is how unbelievably slow and uneventful the story is. It feels like the entire plot could have been condensed into one or two episodes without losing anything important. Scene after scene passes by with very little progression, and instead of building tension or emotional depth, the show just repeats the same dynamics over and over again. It constantly feels like it’s leading toward some kind of breakthrough, confrontation, or revelation, but nothing ever really happens. By the time the final episode ends, it barely feels like the characters or their relationship evolved at all.
The characters themselves are also incredibly flat. One of them spends most of the show being cold, emotionally unavailable, and unnecessarily cruel, while the other just drifts around looking defeated and emotionally numb. Instead of creating an interesting contrast, their personalities quickly become repetitive and frustrating. The show gives almost no insight into who they really are beyond these surface-level traits. You never fully understand what draws them together, why they stay in such an unhealthy relationship, or what emotional needs they fulfill for each other. Because of that, it becomes difficult to feel invested in them as people.
What makes the experience even more disappointing is that the show occasionally hints at deeper themes or emotional complexity, almost as if it’s about to seriously explore trauma, dependency, loneliness, or emotional manipulation. There are moments where it seems like the relationship is finally going to be examined in a meaningful or even shocking way, but the series always pulls back before doing anything substantial. It avoids emotional honesty in favor of endless silence, vague interactions, and repetitive miscommunication. Instead of tension feeling intentional or meaningful, it just becomes frustrating and emotionally draining to watch.
There’s also very little character development throughout the series. By the end, the characters don’t feel significantly different from who they were in the beginning. The final episode tries to imply some kind of emotional resolution or happiness between them, but because the communication between the characters is so poor and the writing is so vague, it’s hard to even tell what changed or why it matters. The story never earns its emotional payoff because it never properly builds toward one.
The acting is another mixed aspect of the show. One actor clearly gives a much stronger performance than the other, which makes the imbalance noticeable in emotional scenes. Still, it’s hard to blame the cast entirely because the script gives them very little material to work with. Most conversations are minimal, repetitive, or emotionally flat, so even talented actors would struggle to create depth from it.
To the show’s credit, it does have a few strong qualities. The cinematography is genuinely beautiful at times, and some of the intimate scenes are filmed in a very natural and emotionally soft way. The actors also have decent chemistry, which is probably the main reason the relationship remains somewhat believable despite the weak writing. There’s even a quiet, melancholic atmosphere throughout the series that could have worked really well if the story had more substance behind it.
But in the end, good visuals and chemistry aren’t enough to carry a story that feels this hollow. The series becomes an endless cycle of awkward silence, frustrating misunderstandings, emotional detachment, and scenes that go nowhere. Rather than feeling emotionally profound or realistic, it just feels empty, repetitive, and unsatisfying. Overall, it’s a frustrating watch that mistakes slowness and silence for emotional depth, and despite its potential, it never becomes as meaningful or compelling as it clearly wants to be.
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Must watch for great comedic lines and acting
I am shocked by the low rating for this BL!!! This is probably one of my FAVOURITE BLs!!! I real love the MLs and the 2nd MLs on this show! The story line is really good. The humour and dialect is entertaining. Hands down in my top 3 BLs if not my #1 favourite one! I love how the ending wraps up and hope they have a second season!!! I know they have one for the 2 MLs and I watched that one but it wasn't as good as this one.Was this review helpful to you?
No. Just No. Skip this if you can
This BL made me cringe so bad!! It's not even a cute love story, just straight up cringy. The MLs also didn't have any chemistry and seemed awkward with each other which made it even harder to watch. No redeeming qualities about this BL. There are far better BLs than this one eg. Semantic error and unintentional love story just to name a couple.Was this review helpful to you?
