Reviews

Main characters with depth & growth, mature romance, good office drama = one of the best Cdrama

Here We Meet Again is one of the best Chinese modern drama I've watched. It is quite rare to have both female and male characters that have separate backstories but they grow as individual and as a couple.

What I liked:
1) Writing - There were multiple arcs i) Xiang Yuan, ii) Xu Yan Shi, iii) their romance, iv) big office drama, v) Xiang Yuan and her grandfather, vi) friendships, vvi) workplace dynamics. All main arcs were done well.
2) Xiang Yuan characterisation - I love watching the growth of Xiang Yuan's character. She started as a granddaughter of a business tycoon who was not in the family business but then took on the challenge given by her grandfather to avoid marriage by working in one of the family companies. I enjoyed watching her journey as a boss-in-training. Xiang Yuan is also smart, rational and capable. There were instances that she could abuse her power but she did not do so. Xiang Yuan is kickass female lead.
3) Xu Yan Shi characterisation - He is handsome, sexy nerd played brilliantly by Zhang Bin Bin. I also love watching the growth of Xiang Yuan's character. It's great to see the multiple hats worn by Yan Shi in this series: i) office worker, ii) friend, iii) lover/life partner, iv) father figure/brother, v) university student/mentee . It's great that he seized a chance to do his own thing instead of catering to other people's needs at the end of the series.
4) Romance - I love love love their relationship. From schoolmates to co-workers then later on lovers and partners. Their relationship was healthy & mature. They had disagreements but which couple never argued? I liked their banter which each other - sometimes it seemed one-sided like the yakult scene involving Yan Shi's brother. Their romantic scenes are hot too - I like when Yan Shi tried on the suit that Xiang Yun bought for him.
5) Family - I like that there was a contrast between Xiang/Situ family and Xu family. Amazing dynamics between Xiang Yuan and her grandfather - their scenes are delightful to watch. I also enjoyed the interactions between Yan Shi and his brother, and between Xiang Yuan and her brother even though there aren't many.
6) Friendships - There are many types of friendships explored in this drama. My favourite is the brotherhood formed by Yan Shi and his close university friends. I also liked that technical team members formed friendship & cared for each other.
7) Supporting cast - wow supporting characters played important role in this series even Mr Bai and Feng Jun!

What I disliked:
1) I wish Gao Leng-Chen Shu romance was further developed by showing growth of both characters. I think Gao Leng shouldn't give in so easily to Chen Shu's plea.
2) The ending could have been better. With the time jump, I'd love to see Xu Cheng Li as a teenager or young adult.

Favourite scene
When Xiang Yuan was revealed to be granddaughter of Chairman Situ. I didn't expect the reveal would be done in that way!

Read More

Boring Plot

I don't know what review to write, but it's really boring bl. I saw a lot of reviews that said that this is a beautiful bl, etc but I don't think it's 100% true. I mean, everyone has different standards or expectations. I didn't expect to watch this boring series, I mean the story and the actors are not too bad but for some reason there is nothing interesting on offer in this series. Although it is only a little duration, it is really boring i could say. I often watch short Korean drama series, but in terms of story, it's still good, but this is true.....
At the time I wanted to watch this, I was very excited, but when watching it, I don't expect that it's really boring. So yes...

Even so, I was still able to watch until the end. Not recommended, but if you want to watch it, just watch it

Read More

i have a lot to say...

i don't like it, the history feels like a Wattpad book or somethig like that, i feel like it lacked development !!! above all the principal couple :/ omg idk if its the actor or the character (rain) but he makes me feel CRINGE the wat he acts above all the kiss scenes... It's like i read in other comment who said if rhis series didnt hace 18+ scenes it will a fail (sorry not sorry) :/ anyways the second couple is a little bit more acceptable (I almost forgot to mention the fact that what was the need to put the couples' story separately? It wasn't easier to show everything at the same time)

Read More

You can skip this one

GMMTV has a bunch of actors, writers, and directors in their roster, but doesn’t care for quality. If you like the male leads, go back and enjoy their previous dramas and ignore this one. They are cute and their relationship here is sweet and I can appreciate the lack of toxic characters, but that’s about it. The acting wasn’t great from the entire cast, but we could chalk it up to terrible writers who had no plot in mind. I don’t get how GMMTV goes from Last Twilight to something like We Are that was entirely aimless.
And the side characters and their stories weren’t interesting either.
With everyone else who complains about Thai actors (except Jeff Satur) singing the same out of tune song, it’s in here too and it’s cringe.

Read More

Intense action packed sci fi series

The show is about an ex-navy officer now working as a bodyguard to infiltrate corporations that he believed to be linked to a bombing of a korean foreign military base a few years ago, that killed a number of local children, his best friend and injured the prime minister of that time. He is now working with the former prime minister to track down the mastermind behind the bombing, which eventually brought him to BF, a biotechnology company that specializes in cultured meat - or so he thought. His time there unravels things that he could never have imagined, and eventually led to the real culprit behind everything that was happening around him then and now.

This show started off rather slow in building the plot, i almost dropped it cuz I thought it was more to corporate power struggle rather than an action packed show. Glad that I stuck through, it actually turned out to be quite an intense action packed thriller sci fi show. The Finale is mindblowing with plot twists I didnt expect.

The performance of every single person involved in this show is excellently mindblowing. I mean, even the unnamed lady who were lining up to send off the prime minister Seonu Jae was full of facial expressions that looked really genuine - she really looked like a staff who loved and admired her boss and is sad to see him leaving the office. The casts are THAAAAAT good.

The action is really intense, fights are superbly choreographed and thrilling. It really blows my mind how much fake blood had to be spilled for those action scenes. Theyre aplenty ?

The music is good too. Sounded modern and intense in dual language. I think im looking it up. And i really love the futuristic setting with the Jang Yeongsil AI that gives off the ironman vibe.

They didnt leave any untangled knots regarding the conflicts at the end of the finale. No cliffhangers on the main plot. Everything is amicably resolved at the end although they kept the viewers on edge for hiding our leads throughout the last quarter of the episode, I really hope theyre making season 2.

Read More

a good melodramatic drama, but!

The final episode literally killed me inside.
Seeing Baek Hyun-woo as an elderly at Haein's lapid, then the portraits of every family member, then everyone passing trough the screen...I'm so damn sad.
For me, Life is so short and all we have as humans, that really has any sort of value, are our beloved ones and our memories :(

I loved the ending although I've might repeated constantly to myself that i hated (cause i cried lol) but it was so pretty, it's been a while since i last cried over a drama.
----
Besides, casting 10/10 everyone did amazingly.
OST is totally top tier! i loved every single one and the production is so so pretty! I felt like i was watching someone's memories.
---

Now, here comes my criticisms! LOL

First off, the premise of the drama is really good, but it has plot holes.
Like, for example, when Hae-In said they were gonna open her head but she came out of the surgery without any bandage on her head or some hair loss from the surgery.

Plus, her cure was way too easy in my perspective.
I mean, it's a RARE disease and she suddenly got a surgery just like that.
I know it wasn’t exactly sudden, Hyun woo did at lot of research, but I don't know, it was too easy for me. A rare disease getting cured that easily.
Not even the richest person can find a cure so fast or even find one.

Also, i think the romance between Beom-ja and Yong-song was weird. They just don't have chemistry to me. Both were funny a few times, but I don't think they'd really work out.

Now, about the mothers of the protagonists.
Hae-In's mom...she was very soulless. I couldn't feel any emotions from her even when she was crying/desperate, neither from Hyun Woo's mom. His mother felt kinda empty, maybe she was supposed to show strength and always be strong in front of everyone, but I think it was too much.

Also, Soo-cheol (Hae-In's brother) getting up easily in the fight scene after being beaten up, felt like one of those anime scenes where the main character is all hurt but suddenly remembers someone special and finds strength from who knows where. If he could beat those guys, why didn’t he do it earlier?

Oh, and the original president of Queens (was a character that should've been important but ended up being pointless, just a plot device. Plus, President Hoon's oldest son got no character development, neither on his own nor in his relationship with his dad.

To finish, the romantic relationships of Hyun Woo's siblings were unnecessary. You know that scene in the final episode where Hyun Woo's parents give his sister a plane ticket to go to the U.S.? That could've been replaced with another scene of the main characters.

Well, yeah i guess that's all.
If someone read this entirely review, thanks! ?

Read More

So sad!

Mos and Bank aren't my favorite couple but they deserve so much better than this. They need to get rid of the person who's telling them to do these horrible shows. This and big dragon are based on books that honestly are like 80% NC but the story in Sunset is so good but they turned their relationship and Lin into this immature puppy love BS. I was so looking forward to the confident and lovingly possessive Sun who can't keep his hands off Lin but I got this timid we can just hold hands Sun and I have to wonder what the screenwriters were thinking, or maybe the problem is they weren't. This show will be my biggest disappointment this year.

Read More

I think It's worth a watch!

I was curious about this show after reading quite mixed reviews on here so here's my two cents.

Overall I enjoyed the watching experience, it was really cute. I understand why some people say the timeline is confusing, especially in the first two episodes. But I had no issue just using context clues, it wasn't that hard to understand. There is definitely a lack of plot in this show but I liked that. All of the misunderstandings are small and resolved with good communication In a timely manner. As a result, there is very little conflict in the show but I prefer this to unnecessary, stressful, and annoying drawn-out miscommunication plot points that are too often used especially in BL. The acting was a teeny bit awkward sometimes but it did not bother me at all, the chemistry of the leads made up for it to me.
One little thing I really liked was all of the random conversations you can hear the friend groups having, they really felt like something you'd overhear high highschoolers talk about, not just boring small talk.

This is just a really fun, lighthearted watch, I'd recommend giving it a go! It's nothing revolutionary, but if you're in the mood for a sweet BL, It's a nice one!

Read More

Finding love in premonitory dreams

From the first scene, 'I Saw You in My Dream' not only grabs the viewer, it proves to be a special LGBT-themed romantic drama with its cozy vibes, delicate emotions and tender sentimental messages.
Each well-written scene highlights the protagonists and their charming personalities, helping me understand them as individuals. I empathize with the skillful narrator, who describes a tender bond between two childhood friends and neighbors. The first impression, after watching the first two episodes, gives me confidence that it will convey a healthy and beautiful youthful romance.
The possibility of romance does not take long to emerge on the screen. Although initially focused on platonic interactions, the main characters are two university students who share games and noble fun.
However, everything changes when Ai, just on the day she turns 20, in the middle of the Christmas and New Year holidays, begins to have premonitory dreams, that is, those that end up happening later. Having dreams that seem to foresee future events causes him distress and confusion, since they are related to Yu, his friend, whom he sees suffering a tragedy or kissing him in the privacy of a darkened room. This triggers in him, on the one hand, the desire to protect him, and on the other, love, but at the same time he does not know how to handle the situation due to the fear of losing his friend.
This is how the series immerses the viewer in the complex labyrinths of friendship, love and self-discovery, presenting the moving story of two inseparable friends, who find themselves on an emotionally challenging journey. What they believe about themselves and what they feel about each other is not a constant – unlike many situations shown in the series that seem to remain unchanged: games in the garden of the house or in one of their bedrooms, the search for hidden treasures, sharing the birthday gift...
In the environment of their childhood and adolescence, their homes have witnessed countless laughter, games and shared secrets. However, as they reach adulthood, they face new desires and emotions, and endless questions about who they really are and what love is. What makes this period of changes a sea of ​​confusion for the protagonist is that over time he realizes that he loves Yu. Do you have to hide your feelings to preserve a friendship intact or is it time to take a risk to be authentic with yourself?
Ingkarat Damrongsakkul, the actor who plays Ai, is sensational. He brings sweetness and youthful innocence to an emotionally honest performance. Ruy, as he is known by his nickname, embodies his character so convincingly that Ai feels like a genuine person with complex thoughts and feelings drifting from his premonitory dreams.
This role is perfectly designed to highlight the best qualities of the actor who starred in 2015, at the age of 12, in the film 'How to Win at Checkers (Every Time)', a drama for which he won the coveted Best Actor award cast at that year's prestigious Suphannahong National Film Awards/National Film Association of Thailand Awards.
'Quarantine Stories', 'Fierce & Furious Academy', '2 Moons' and '#HATETAG' are other BL series in which Ryu had the opportunity to take on important roles.
For his part, Putter Phubase Pratumrat, who plays Yu, radiates a pleasant charisma. The actor who starred in one of the stories of the series 'My Universe', specifically the one titled 'Lucky Love', and who made his debut in 2022 in a supporting role in the BL 'Our Days', has a cheeky charm boy next door guy who helps you understand why Ai dreams about him. Unlike his friend, Yu is an outgoing and confident boy who likes photography and video games.
Ryu and Putter are a joy to watch: they establish an engaging and comfortable relationship, while sharing wonderful chemistry, which never makes accompanying them in their developing relationship boring at any point.
Visually beautiful, 'I Saw You in My Dream' contains many reflective messages about the loves between two boys of the same sex, members of the small Thai Catholic community, something that is new in BL series from that country, especially if we take into account that for the Catholic Church, homosexual acts and behaviors constitute a serious mortal sin because sexual relations must have a procreative purpose and take place within marriage, which is indissoluble and made up of the union of a man and a woman according to their identity. biological.
As Ai experiences various challenges, she must learn to handle these difficulties with maturity and confidence. Fortunately, our hero has a great support system, from loving parents to supportive and respectful friends.
Likewise, the story of Yo (Surf Patchara Silapasoonthorn), Yu's younger brother, and Ing (Game Orarig Tanoi), who in turn is secretly in love with Yo, will be interesting. Both will give rise to an always-awaited second couple that will increase tensions and conflicts.
Tee Bundit Sintanaparadee, the director, opts for a sweet romance, filmed in warm tones with soft touches of romantic comedy. The Thai director, who with the series 'I Feel You Linger in the Air', 'Hidden Agenda', 'Step by Step', 'Something in My Room', 'Lovely Writer' and 'TharnType', among others, became In a chronicler of love and the daily struggles of a young generation, he returns to familiar territories to reveal some of his obsessions: homosexuality, family, youth and their emotional ups and downs.
For this, it has the collaboration of Prig Apichayar Sinithichayanon ('Hidden Agenda'), Chot-anan Kasamwonghong ('The Rebound', '609 Bedtime Story' and 'The Eclipse', Wannapa Lertkultanon and Natithep Wong-In, in charge of writing the script based on the famous Afterday novel of the same name, who build real and sincere characters and follow them in an unprejudiced and natural way.
'I Saw You in My Dream' is at the same time a coming-of-age and a coming out, that is, a traditional growth story in which a firmly closed closet timidly begins to open to the outside and from which those who are inside. The director obtains from the young cast naturalistic performances – although clearly marked by a classic script in its structure and route – that are largely credible and fresh.
At the same time, he explores in a simple and kind way in this authentic work that shows the process of growing up and self-discovering the complexity of human relationships even in a context that seems to be simple and comfortable for the characters. After all, they are lifelong friends, they are doing what they love to do most, which is sharing time together, and they have beautiful memories of what their lives have been like.
The casting decisions are correct, the cast being made up of actors and actresses committed to fiction and the performances being very natural. Nothing is forced in this series and that makes the story take its time and immerse the viewer in the thoughts of each character, without looking for a plot, a turning point or a moment of dramatic explosion.
The choices regarding locations, even those public places due to their scarce presence of personnel outside the filming, are successful because they do not distract from the central point of 'I Saw You in My Dream': the indescribable bond in words between Yu and Ai. The characters are the ones who have to be there; There are no distractions of any kind during the series. At times it may seem like it is moving slowly, but deep down it is because it is a work more focused on the development of the characters, instead of a traditional narrative structure of beginning-middle-end, although it does not lack this aspect either.
The series seeks to portray first love, self-discovery, friendship, family ties, study, passions, among other issues, in a very natural way. Although young people go through situations full of doubt and confusion, the audiovisual gives a certain luminosity to the messages it transmits and the way its characters are followed.
The director knows how to capture the sensitivity of the story he wants to tell and the feelings that blossom in the protagonists. At no time does it fall into common places, neither in relation to the construction of the characters nor in the development of the plot. Let everyone be as they are, do not judge them or justify them.
The characters are very real and sincere and the cast does a good job of carrying them forward. The actors manage to portray the universe and the stage of life in which they find themselves in an unprejudiced, natural and enjoyable way, showing the sensations and reactions of young people their age.
The setting is also achieved. The cheerful landscape of both boys' houses, the shared garden, the fence that divides one home from the other, the university, the church and the places they visit, are settings that color the series with a certain nostalgia, joy and romanticism.
The other notable aspect, and nothing minor in the plot and form of the series, is the music. This plays a fundamental role in the story, being a means to express the characters' feelings without them having to recognize them or have uncomfortable conversations. Many times they even don't know what's happening to them and the music lets those sensations flow. Plus, the soundtrack is original, catchy, and sounds good.
The musical score by Banana Sound Studio, and the songs composed by Sorawit Sangpupas and Thanawin Keawsri, and performed by Ryu and Putter, are not so much company as they are an essential complement to the story. That is, the songs help tell the story, but not in the usual way of the musical genre but rather as a soundtrack that expresses youth, doubts, and also fears.
In short, 'I Saw You in My Dream' is a coming of age and an effective coming out that turns out to be sensitive and intimate, simple and complex at the same time, quite original, without the need for large concrete conflicts to resolve.
The work of Tee Bundit Sintanaparadee invites the viewer, depending on the moment in life they are going through, with empathy or nostalgia the process of growing up, of making decisions, of self-discovery, of being young but not so young, of risking what one feels, and to travel through love even when there are doubts and fears: wait for it in premonitory dreams.

Read More

Which do you prefer, plot or body?

This is the second time the two leading actors have worked together!

The previous drama was very good, and the big scenes were also beautifully shot; I watched many parts many times, and I have been paying attention to the two of them since then, and I am very happy that they can work together for the second time; so I watched this drama with anticipation, but after watching a few episodes, I felt that it was not what I expected. The plot of this drama feels a bit weak, and the emotional line between the two people is a bit vague, and it is a bit purely for showing the bodies of the two people.

What do you think?

Read More

may have actually enjoyed this if it had been 16 episodes TOPS

the real problem in this drama is that the "plot" or in this case the lack of a plot doesn't support 40 episodes. There was a whole lot of nothing going on + 0 credible conflicts to keep a viewer interested. There's a backstory and amnesia plot that we really don't care about and really makes 0 impact on the show anyway. (except to make the FL doubt the ML for 30 seconds of the show) There's a single evil girl who is used to create conflict here and there but still... we don't care. Other than that... the only conflict to keep us interested is evidently buried in the hearts of the FL + ML and definitely not interesting enough to keep me watching. I was over it by EP 12-16 but kept watching to see if anything new, surprising or interesting would happen. I was even praying for some big bad reveal of past events to crop up and liven things up but by episode 26-28... still a NOPE.

Read More

Acting masterclass from the fls

So I was watching this while it was on going in 2022 but for some reason I never saw the last two episodes, now that its on Netflix I was like I want to finish it and I did it, I rewatched from ep 1 and let me tell you I was so invested, I had forgotten a lot of things and it was so thrilling like I knew the big things that were going to happen but still, I enjoyed it a lot.

The acting was impeccable, specially my two main girls, Seo Yea Ji was perfect for this role, she´s so captivating and shows a great spectrum on her performance, as for Yoo Sun I gotta give it to her, just incredible.

As for the story, the revenge part in my opinion was the best and most satisfying, the "romance" I understand it, it was well executed, I didn't love it, but I wouldn't change it either, I kinda shows just how humans are, she knew everything and knew it wasn't right, she knew he wasn't innocent but still fell in love, if I was given the chance of changing the final tho, I think I would have made her get over him in the sense of stop thinking what ifs and just show her growth and her moving on, but that's me, I know everyone would have a different take or wish

Read More

Could be more subversive, but still interesting

Kang Na Eon is such a refreshing female lead character that got to be diabolically cool, smart, and cunning. She even has the smooth, swoony kdrama moves down like when she caught the male lead as he fell. Both leads have excellent chemistry too, starting with the moment So Eun Ho desperately dresses up in his literal funeral best and initiates some passionate kissing that she reciprocates. It was lamentable that she had to switch bodies so soon, but it was also cool to see how immediately went about acclimating and investigating the attempt on her life while in Eun Ho's body. She had a lot of cool moments while in his body, so I looked forward to her switching back because I really want to see a female character get to be a commanding presence, but the drama definitely favored her having intense and commanding moments while in a male form more alas.

The costuming for her started with her in the most garish colors like poisonous animals have, but she totally owned every outfit. I like that she took a liking to wearing suits after spending time wearing them in Eun Ho's body, but it's a bummer it's mostly over sized looks rather than bepsoke ones that would fit her to perfection. That would have been amazing. I really liked the reveal that Eun Ho was playing dumb and had a hole revenge plan against her too, blaming her for stealing his idea and the death of his girlfriend. The twist that Na Eon tried to fix the situation and apologize for it was interesting, the hint that she had a heart deep inside.

I found the body swap pretty easy to follow, there were even times where I felt like the show was over explaining who was in who's body. There seems to be two ghostly presences legitimately haunting Na Eon since it's not psychosomatic and Eun Ho experienced it too and later follows Na Eon to Eun Ho's body, one being the ghostly hands and the other being the body swap ghost girlfriend Da Eun. It's never explained but there was a bunch of people that rushed in to help the Da Eun before there was an explosion, so I wonder if they also died and are the hands. There should have been more of an attempt to explain how the switches are triggered and why is it limited. It was pretty arbitrary through out the end.

On the gender side of things, I appreciated that they didn't add stereotypically gendered movements to the characters when they've switched, it's more personality traits like Na Eon's aloofness and Eun Ho's over the top reactions which were an act on top of an act. On the other hand the portrayal of the only gay character Lex was suspect. It's totally fine he's effeminate and a fashionable drag queen, but the show had him be overly touchy to other male characters and the other male characters refer to him in gay panic moments. That's very unfortunate. The show seems to be making effort to destigmatize gay culture along with feminine hygiene, contraceptives, and sex toys, but still baby steps for productions that aren't lgbt specific.

The ending with almost all the antagonists redeemed except for the lone female executive was lacking. There wasn't enough from Yoo Mi or Nam Byul for them to be redeemed. Also Jung Woo would go as far as being so physically violent and attempted to murder Na Eon, erasing the evidence, and left her for dead is all forgiven because Hee Jung told him to is extremely nonsensical. That man committed a huge crime and she shouldn't be on friendly terms with him at all, at least not with how things turn out. Yoo Mi went off the deep end hating Na Eon's guts too and there should have been seeded more scenes of her caring enough about Na Eon for their return to friendship to mean anything. Otherwise her not wanting to murder Eun Ho is good enough for them to have some sort of begrudging understanding. Nam Byul was literally a character on the side plotting against Na Eon the whole time with no emotional connection to anything.

Though the drama would have been better if there was a bit more grit and angst in a bit of a darker tone, it was still an interesting take on the body swap genre.

Read More