Reviews

A Yokai Drama for Tweens

Set in the Edo Period, this series tells the story of a young samurai, Kazuma (played by Mizukami Koshi) who is teaching young students at a small temple. Kazuma is the oldest of two sons, but has little interest in bushido, and secretly learns everything he can about youkai while hiding his interest from his very traditional father. He hiccups whenever youkai are around, but does not understand that that is the case until he finds a small jade amulet that allows him to see the folkloric monsters even when they do not wish to be seen by humans.

It's a short, youkai-of-the-week series in which Kazuma befriends three youkai in an abandoned storage building where one of the youkai, Amanojaku, is trapped at the start of the series. The other two youkai are a kappa (a turtle-like creature) played by Yamada Anna and a cat-like youkai named Nekomata played by Morikawa Aoi. Rounding out the principal cast is one of Kazuma's students, Ohina, who helps out Kazuma and provides the POV character for the intended audience.

It's a light, fun series that does not really go anywhere. The there's a mild romance arc for Kazuma, and an ultimate big bad who must be defeated at the end. It's a mildly enjoyable diversion overall.

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I like the lead actress and missed seeing her on screen, so that alone was enough to keep me going. (so biased review, maybe)

The ML also had some personality — which is rare for C-drama MLs. A genuinely sarcastic, witty charm in the earlier episodes, though he grew too serious as the story progressed (which is understandable). The early episodes had many funny moments — and the bathtub scene had me laughing out loud. 😄

The second couple did nothing for me, I'll be honest — heavy skipping whenever they appeared.

But what I appreciated about this drama was how clean it felt: no blood spills every day, no love triangles, no dying 976 times (I mean... not in a tragic way 😉), no unnecessary drama. The ending is sad, but it earns it. It felt true to the story. I recommend it.

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But you, I can't let them take you. I'm taking you with me

Actually, i liked how the cult storyline was all bogus in the end and how it was presented as a whole. It' an important topic to talk about, and it made it more interesting to watch, rather than chasing green men for 10 episodes. It made the aliens metaphor more meaningful too. How Jihyo stopped seeing them when she started to accept herself.

I like how Siguk understood her, and believed her, but also realized that he can't be with a "crazy woman". I think it's as straightforward as it gets, when we talk about aliens as a stand in for for homosexuality. And Bora is "just as crazy", always was, even when both women denied it.

I can't say that any character was useless or just to fill space, if they had an arc, it was nicely done. If they were just for entertainment, they were funny to watch. The music is pretty and fitting, and visuals are stunning. The acting is amazing too from everyone.

Was it real in the end? Or was it just hallucinations caused by gas? Who cares when it's as true as it gets for Bora and Jihyo.

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My first drama ever — I was a clueless beginner who had no idea what she was walking into. And this why the ending destroyed my soul. 😭 Rewatched it many times.

In recent years I haven't felt the urge to go back — maybe I don't want to ruin it by noticing the cringe or the messy script my rational mind knows is there.... But it doesn't matter! This one has a permanent place in my heart. I'll make my children and grandchildren watch it someday and feel content seeing them cry.

And the OST still makes me emotional — which probably means the story is still ''effective".💔

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The moments between them made me blush.

The plot (the business, the political intrigue) is kinda weak — I'll admit that. But everything else? Hard to fault.

What i like very much is how the story handles the ML's and FL's trauma as children.
Also. The cinematography is stunning, it had some funny moments...and the chemistry between the leads is unlike anything I've seen. It felt less like watching actors perform and more like accidentally intruding on something private 🫣 — they were that convincing together! Sweet, real and completely believable.

About the ~10 episode misunderstanding:
Zhao Pan'er is a former entertainer — a woman society looks down on — and yet she carries herself with quiet dignity and pride. She was betrayed once by her scholar ex, so when she starts suspecting Gu Qianfan — the Commander of the Capital Security Office, feared by everyone and known as the "Living Devil" — of the same, it doesn't feel cheap or forced (for me).
Also from our ML`s perspective - he is a man carrying the shame of his father's name and who spent his whole life being feared rather than loved— so his hesitation felt real, even if ten episodes can test your patience. People call the misunderstanding weak writing or too frustrating, but given who they were, it can be believable.

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Cool Storyline

This drama decipts a very cool and somewhat realistic side of what it feels like being a teenager. The confusion, the crushes , the clumsiness and the cuteness sums up how it feels being in high school and discovering yourself ( at least that what I felt when I was watching it).
The storyline is very cute and fun. I think all in all its very heartwarming seeing the characters grow into people they know they can be but are scared of , especially the FML , there were so many times when i was frustrated watching her and her relationship with her parents but the way she handled them is the same way any teenager would , which was nice seeing. The realistic way we deal with situations and our emotions.

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Everyone Wants Arthdal and I Don't Know Why Because It's a Toxic Place

It's hard when actors replace the established actors of beloved characters. I had that initial disappointment when I saw the sweet cherub face of Song Joong Ki was now represented by fierce Lee Joon Gi. SJK was perfect as the naive member of the Wahan clan; LJG was equally as perfect as the Inaishingi warrior. LJG was better suited for the new physical demands of Eun Seom; he's always a pleasure to watch in action scenes. Playful, willful Tan Ya"s Kim Ji Won performance was replaced with a quiet, bland adaptation by Sin Sae Kyeong. I had to remind myself the characters were bound to change with the passage of eight or so years and the trials they'd been through. I never warmed to the new Tan Ya, but the part wasn't written to endear me. There was nothing left of the original Tan Ya's personality for me to recognize. And Saya—what a change: from effeminate schemer to masculine evil. His former personality was unrecognizable.

It helped for continuity that the king and queen were played by the same actors. And what acting it was. Jang Dong Gun and Kim Ok Bin were scene stealers. They were magnificent villains, real and raw—the type of evil that was explained by their circumstances and born out of necessity. Fabulous portrayals of damaged people, who even at their most repugnant moments could evince their vulnerabilities.

The story was bleaker in cinematography and tone than its predessors. There were few happy moments to bond with the characters. It was understandable. They were at war. Treachery, treason, and death were the constants. I couldn't help feeling that the script had been infected with George R. R. Martin's nihilistic approach to killing off beloved characters in a meaningless, abrupt way. I really hate that. I was also frustrated through many situations when it seemed no one could think logically; I really dislike sloppy writing that relies on the characters to be stupid to advance the plot.

The ending wrapped up the current arc but gave a preview of trouble in paradise. There could easily be several more seasons of Arthdal adventures if the Powers That Be want it, as there was no resolution with Saya or Taealha; the Neanthals may want retribution; and, personally, I want to see more MoMos.

I gave Arthdal Chronicles Part 1: The Children of Prophecy and 8.5 rating (it was tasked with setting up the story and introducing characters); Arthdal Chronicles Part 2: The Sky Turning Inside Out, Rising Land (2019) was rated 9 stars (the story took off); Arthdal Chronicles Part 3: The Prelude to All Legends (2019) continued the excitement and was rated 9 stars; and Arthdal Chronicles: The Sword of Aramun (2023) was given an 8 star rating.

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Special episode more like special trauma

After completing the whole series in a day I was looking forward to watching the special episode with a smile on my face and a full heart I began watching it. My smile began to fade as the minutes passed closer to the end. The last few scenes had me screaming, crying in a chokehold. My heart genuinely clenched itself and I was so distraught, all of that to then read another review and find out I hadn’t fully completed the episode and that Joke was still alive. Whoever made this episode doesn’t deserve peace but I hope there will be a second season if not a second “special” episode.

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Hot Kissing

Affinity was one of those short Chinese dramas that pulls you in even when you know it’s full of red flags 🚩 and somehow you still can’t stop watching.

What made this drama stand out was the mix of dark romance, science fiction, and obsession. Xie Xinxu and Wu Nongyu’s relationship was never soft or simple—it was intense, dangerous, and built on this strange biological pull caused by the A and B virus connection. Instead of a typical sweet romance, it gave us something darker: love mixed with control, fear, desire, and emotional healing. That made it addictive to watch. The drama follows Wu Nongyu, a graduate student in bio-genetic engineering, and Xie Xinxu, a man with antisocial tendencies who becomes obsessively drawn to her, with their bond tied to mysterious viruses and genetic attraction.

Cui Yuxin played the male lead perfectly—cold, possessive, and unsettling, but still carrying moments where you could see the loneliness underneath. Fang Jin balanced that well by making Wu Nongyu feel like more than just the girl being chased; she had strength, intelligence, and the determination to fight against fate instead of simply accepting it.

Visually, the drama had a strong atmosphere. The dark academic style, haunting music, and suspenseful pacing gave everything a dangerous, almost hypnotic feeling. It felt less like a normal romance and more like watching two people trapped inside something neither of them fully understood.

Of course, logic is not this drama’s strongest point. If you go in expecting realistic science or a healthy love story, this is not it. But if you enjoy obsessive male leads, psychological tension, and “this is toxic but I need one more episode” energy, Affinity absolutely delivers. Many viewers described it exactly that way—“toxic but addictive” and a guilty pleasure binge. ()

Overall, Affinity is messy, intense, and unforgettable. It’s not a perfect drama, but it knows exactly what kind of story it wants to tell—and for fans of dark romance, that makes it worth the watch.

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