Reviews

A "Sweet" Thrilling Ride.

I've known that several Asian countries preserve certain forms of art and even have generations of the same family take it up, thus continuing a legacy. Once the family falls, the art dies down. Watashitachi wa Douka Shiteiru/Something Is Wrong With Us strongly portrays the importance of such traditions.

-- - When 5-year-old Okuro Nao (Sakura) came to the legendary sweet shop Kogetsu An with her mother, she never expected that her entire life would get turned upside down after her mother is framed for a murder that she did not commit… all based on the words of Tsubaki, her only friend and the one who made her love the art of sweetmaking. 15 years later, she decides to go back to Kogetsu An to find out the truth and clear her mom's name in the hope to enjoy the art of sweet-making freely. She hides her true identity and gets entangled once again with Tsubaki, discovering secrets that could turn her world upside down.

--- The story: is very Makjang style. But, not too much over the top - everything came to a believable conclusion. The murder and sweet making go hand in hand. I kept waiting for unfortunate events to befall Nao, but she faced them with all the might she had and learnt to survive in the deadly kitchen of Kogetsu An. She has to sort out her priorities: her mother's truth or Tsubaki's trust? The term suspension of disbelief becomes unsuitable once we realize how much of a big part the sweets play in the drama.

--- The Sweets: Like the title of my review, the art of sweet making itself seems like a more scary job than performing a surgery. And no sweet was simply a sweet. Each one had unique meanings and descriptions that would make ancient poets weep. It looked as if everyone made it with their heart and blood instead of flour and sugar. The carving, colouring and the effort that went behind a single one makes me want to frame them in a glass case instead of eating them.

--- I absolutely loved Nao's character. She had guts and a lot of willpower. Although appearing frail and powerless, she is ready to go headfirst into several situations that one would usually dare not go close to. Particularly, someone like her who must be avoiding suspicion. I loved her journey. I loved how her character grew into someone who could stand on her own and be a worthy opponent.

--- Tsubaki was no exception; he was the one person whom I felt had a distinct character growth. He had his own emotional baggage to hold up and simultaneously prove that he was worthy of his father's name.

--- The supporting characters and even the ones who are to be labelled as villains were all pitiful and three dimensional. Everyone were just pure humans in the end. I didn't hate a single person. I had a particular liking for Takigawa-san and Jojimo-kun, who impressed me with their performance and characters.

--- The time skip: I have yet to see many dramas that can portray a proper timeskip without making things seem like complete nonsense. This drama in particular had two to three timeskips that had a natural flow to it. Characters grew and evolved as individuals during them, making the next set of events nerve wracking to watch. It is a well paced drama.

--- The aesthetics: Japan rarely goes for flamboyant display of beauty and this drama was no different. The grace and poise in every character and the craft were so well portrayed that I can't recall a single moment where I was bored out of my mind.

--- The OST was the downside for me. While I enjoyed the simple BGMs and the opening credits, I did not like the song that popped up usually right before the episode wrapped. It sounded more suitable for some anime or heroic movie. This might also be due to the language barrier; I didn't understand a single word.

It's definitely worth a watch. And also, one of the better dramas that does not disappoint.

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...this show is evil.

I would have given this a higher score probably if the producers kinda left things as they were by the end of like, episode 32 i don't even remember anymore. now listen carefully.
on the upside, Shan he ling has got really nice music, the subtle and not-so-subtle symbolism + poetry references didn't go unnoticed either, and the actors delivered beautifully. to be fair tho, i wasn't sure of the chemistry between the main leads (zhang zhehan and gong jun) at first plus it took a couple episodes for them to grow on me. it's about being in a relationship with healthy communication, understanding, respect, love and growth on both ends. we love to see it, right?
also, the found family trope? i eat that shit up. xie wang (one of the antagonists a.k.a scorpion king) is such a compelling and attractive character but the author deserves to be mauled for writing all that incest fuckery. what the fuck is wrong with u. which brings me to my next point: the downsides of course
last six episodes were rushed as hell, i've had Enough of misogynistic fujos (yes i am talking about u mxtx and priest), meaningless deaths, 5000 plot lines. gu xiang's death hurt me the most. it took 5 years off my life. idk what i expected. SHE DESERVED NONE OF THIS BS. neither did cao weining. gong jun's acting in that scene was pretty lackluster, too?

WHEN did qian qiao drink the water of lethe ?that feels like such a pivotal moment and yet?? HOW IS XIE WANG SURPRISED THAT SHE'S DEAD WHEN H E H I M S E L F SAID NO ONE IS LEAVING HERE ALIVE. what's the point?? AND GU XIANG'S DEATH WAS HARDLY ADDRESSED. and as much as i liked wenzhou, the misunderstandings they had from the moment wkx faked his death all the way to the finale weren't resolved. ever. they just laughed it off and were like ok !we're good to go! for example, zzs leaving wkx behind after the ghost valley battle bc he was dying and couldn't bring himself to face him and then wkx willingly sacrificing himself to save zzs.that was a choice. an ooc choice. why u ask? bc ALL the themes about healing from cycles of abuse and wanting to live on again after giving up are thrown out in the last two or three episodes, which then culminate in like, the finale where they just, like...nothing is explained, things that characters have said not to want happen after a timeskip. half of the main fucking cast dies for NO REASON. of course u could argue that their budget ran out but still why go back to square one?? as if all that progress was for nothing ??
so anyway thank god i didn't start the novel. fuck u, priest.

btw, the ending isn't as bad as ppl make it out to be. personally i liked it. is it heart-wrenching? absolutely. fear not, all u need to do is watch the bonus episode . oh yeah sorry i forgot about the part where it's fucking paywalled. stay winning, i guess. love and light i'm free babyyyyy

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yumi's character is a bit problematic as of the latest episode (3). IMO!

first of all after reading the webtoon I was really looking forward to this series. I don't know if I'm the only one thinking that way, but right now I just feel like yumi's somewhat relatable & similar to how human’s are irl but also lowkey rude & unlikable (which is also understandable cuz they're testing her so much lmao), I kinda like her the least atm tbh (I mean her role as yumi & not the actress herself ofc) apart from ruby that little annoying shit hahaha, but everyone else is fine, I guess we’ll see how everything is gonna turn out cuz it’s still only the 3rd episode, everything can change in a matter of seconds in the future episodes~ ^^

everything written above is just my opinion, so u have to watch it yourself to form an opinion :)

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thoughts on the cast and story

I love Hwang InYeop and i can’t take that Cha Eun Woo ended up with the FL so i dropped it. He’s literally so bland!!! I hate Moon Ga Young in that series too she’s so dumb and fOR WHAT??? urghhh i need a new hwang in yeop series where he gets the justice he deserves. I love the cliché story plot going on in the drama but its just not right for me lool i hate cha eun woos acting here i only watched for heang in yeop fr but i cant finish it bc itwas so ???? I love cliché story lines only if it was entertaining i hate this stuff but i loved it bc of in yeop ;((((

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Could not stop whining!

I watched this drama as soon as it was out ... and what a disappointment.
I understand, due to its uniqueness, why lot of people liked it, though. And its approach on mental illness that is a trendy subject nowadays. But the story is lacking a lot, using FL's ASPD (Anti-Social Personality Disorder) and Moon Sang-tae (Gang-Tae’s older brother), Autism Spectrum Disorder as main sources for the plot. I absolutely loved Oh Jung-Se in his role, what a fabulous actor. He succeeded to portrait his character with Autism brilliantly. On the contrary, i did not like Seo Yae-Ji in her role. I found that the ASPD was not well conveyed, and her character ended up being a spoiled brat rather who acts recklessly and do not care about anyone but her, rather than a complex character with sociopath tendencies who would have had therapy and gone under medication for her personality disorder.
Finally, ML's character is this understanding and patient young man who raised his brother, feeling guilty about their past .... who ends up loving the FL as a freedom from the trap that his life is. Yet, it looks like more a Stockholm syndrome.

We understand that the FL and ML are safety pins for each other ... but are they, really ? The morale of the story is that 2 people who love each other can save each other ..... and in this specific story i did not like this fairy tale ending while the main plot was about realistic mental illness. Love can't treat ASPD ... and i felt that if you have to imagine the rest of their lives together ... it will be 2 lives completely ruined. Or was it the morale of the story ? That love can be this stupid sometimes, that people will ruin each other in name of Love ?
But again, i loved Sang Tae character and ending. While people with autism have a hard time to distinguish nuances, yet he succeeded to understand what his brother was lacking and wanted. As a big brother, he only wants to protect his young brother. His character is full of charms and emotions.

Now the fairy tale components and the outfits of Yae-Ji are both beautiful, but it was not enough to make me fall for the Main characters or the story overall. At the end, this drama just did not deliver for me !

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A complete package of perfect production, good acting and good story.

HP2 again never fails me.
The story continues with the lives of five friends from college to their workplacr and the people surrounding them.
All five characters Ik Jun, Jun Wan, Song Hwa, Jeong-won, Seok-Hyeong give me vibes of positive, fun and warm energy that I feel when I’m tired or sad, by just watching them, you just feel so much hopes and happiness.
What special about HP is they emphasize the humanity of profession rather than the life and death situation.
They treat their patient with sincerity and at the same time respect and understand the family member’s point of view which is very rare in medical dramas.
Music: I have nothing more to say, each episode is rewarded with true, authentic performance from the main leads that make you feel like you are watching their lives performances
It is proven that this drama is made with high quality production.

Acting wise: they make you feel like you are enjoying and witnessing their daily personal life instead of watching them acting. Everything blends naturally.

I would totally recommend this and this forever will be on my rewatch list.

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Sad but beutiful

This drama is really emotional, conveying both sorrow and healing in the most beautiful way where the details count more than the dialog. While many LGBTQ+ dramas often focus on romance it was kind of refreshing yet sad to see a drama that incorporated more sides to being gay portraying both hardship, discrimination, love, regret but most of all family bonds (not necessarily biological). This drama uses childrens openness and curiosity in the most natural way as well as added some small humoristic sides to the otherwise pretty heavy story.

The drama may not have huge entertainment or suspense but it is touching in a non cringey kind of way, making you feel warm as well as being very subtle in showing the characters personality and growth that will make you fall in love with this family over and over again. The drama also makes way for some pretty good come back lines and is most certainly worth a watch for any one anywhere, just have the tissues ready if you are the emotional type.

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The best Chinese drama I have seen

This is a love story from beginning until the end, without the usual tropes of most dramas. The acting for the main leads is excellent. The story keeps you watching as the dramatic family dynamics unfold. The chemistry between the leads develops beautifully as the story progresses. Solid, well-acted adult dramas like this are quite rare, as the teen and college age storylines are more commonplace with Chinese dramas. I highly recommend this choice for anyone looking for a truly romantic story that doesn’t keep you waiting until the final episodes, like most do.

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CONTENTFUL LOVE HEARTHWARMING STORY!

I have completed watching it just now , and i can say it , it is worthful of the time i have invested in it ! I mean i personally don't like love triangles cause its too much messy but this drama did a justice to it .Its a story which actually talks some deep teen issue when u see it , i love all the characters and i can assure you every actor did a great justice to their respective roles . Through this whole journey there was cute scenes but my personal fav will Nam Gong that man played the excellent job in showing the fun aspect, his comic timing was awesome .In total if you are searching for some good bl with good storyline in it with good acting then it the one for you . I guess this bl also showed new aspect of bl's its not like those chessy messy bl's and i am happy i got to know about it and decided to watch it! The last few episodes were really well written by encapsulating thes story and giving beautiful ending!

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absolute one time watch---- a gripping story!

Gives you a moral in each episode, be careful of what u wish!
Honestly, the story is a little slow paced but its really good. You will enjoy it if you liked bed time stories in childhood.
The concept is straightforward - customers make a wish at the eponymous restaurant, and the resident witch-cum-masterchef will magically prepare a unique dish accordingly. Eating the dish will grant the wish but not without a price in return.

This drama certainly reflects the production values strived for by the streaming service. The overall quality and technical aspects, including the visual effects, are unquestionably well executed. The art direction and the production design are quite impressive.

At a relatively short 8 episodes, the storytelling is compact without the intrusion of unnecessary fillers. It is engagingly paced where the drama takes its time to explore the backstories of the various characters. It’s worth pointing out certain themes that may trigger such as abuse and bullying. The sense of tension and anxiety are sufficiently imbued into the story as it unfolds, and continues to build right to the climactic end. Special mentions go to a number of supporting and guest stars who make their appearances in this production.

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THE OST IS GOAT!! REST, well nevertheless.....

Starts of great but towards the end you disgustingly want jaeon and nabi to end together and spare the potato guy. they deserve each other. both of them are equally stupid and want to be together as long as feasible, so be it!

Mixed feeling for this drama. By that, you can definitely assume how messed up things are.
Not a typical or cliche type one, but also story doesn't have much. But writing is messy with the pace... It wasn't even enough just for 10 episodes as some episodes even felt filler with 0 progress in the story. Despite being frustrating and disturbing in some parts, it is intriguing. You won't find any meaningful conversation.

Talking about casting, I like it! Impressed by Song Kang's acting .So Hee, she sure left an impression on me, and potato guy is the best.The production value is high what to expect from JTBC and Netflix, so top-notch cinematography, aesthetics, color grading, and styling. I found the intro interesting it's short but those slide with music give is an artistic vibe. I absolutely adore OSTs., these are the best!
We're Already - KIMMUSEUM
Whisper - PARK JI WOO
Butterfly - J.UNA
Love Me Like That - Sam Kim

I liked some starting episodes, the pacing, and execution but then it losses the momentum and becomes repetitive.

although for its chemistry and lot of steamy scenes :P, its a good one time watch!

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High Highs, Boring Lows

The beginning of this drama is hilarious. I found there to be a lot of laugh out loud moments but I was also VERY confused. I'm not sure if that's due to poor translation but I was also confused by the way they acted towards each other.

It seemed like they both like each other but I guess she didn't fall for him right away like I had thought(?), she just wanted to have a baby with him (?). Although I'm still confused why he kept denying her when he was clearly jealous of Simon...

I found the constant back and forth of feelings for each other to be exhausting. One minute Rui is trying to break off the contract, the next minute he's jealous of Simon. Jealous enough to ask her for them into the apartment but won't sleep in the same room with her. Then there's Fang Ning who sometimes appears to have feeling for Rui but then other times only seems to want to have his baby. It's a bit annoying trying to keep up with their seemingly every changing thoughts/feelings. Which thread am I supposed to follow here? ?

Then came Episode 13 which made me want to cry for Fang Ning. "I feel insecure everyday... I hate you" That whole scene feels so raw.

I was really bored with the Fang Ning business drama. To me it seemed incredibly reaching. The guy became her assistant for 3 years because he blames her for her sister’s death..??? At this point I was holding onto this drama by a tiny thread.

Then came the SIX YEAR jump. (I hate time jumps in general) Luckily, the story does seem to pick up a bit between Rui and Fang Ning but the side story for Tang Ping is dreadfully boring. Simon and Cai Si Yu are pretty cute though...

Overall I liked Rui and Fang Ning as a couple and the actors have great chemistry delivering some adorable and laugh out loud moments but the lows were just too low for me.

Would I Recommend? There are better romances out there
Would I Re-Watch? No.

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It started off well but sccumbed in the end.

This actually a thriller that is very well executed.
Revolves around a bunch of high class people who have all the money in this world to send their kids to an over the top international school which accepts children only by invites! The MFL's husband's death has brought in a lot of troubles for her. but she decides to fight all the odds for her only son. later in the episodes till ep 6,a lot of mystery unfolds.

Honestly, the plot was gripping. acting is good. the cinematography is excellent. With every passing episodes you'll realise that the FL is a strong person but
It becomes a flop in later episodes to an extent where you will skip scenes and yawn!Came back to elaborate my thoughts after ep 6, one episode is a total filler, and this goes a straight down hill after ep 9. There is no thrill left and it becomes a drama where the protagonist wants to get the criminal behind bars.

I had a lot of hopes for this, somehow i am not going to remember even watching it. This is clearly not written well towards the end.

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ONE TIME WATCH---Only if you have nothing else to watch

The drama has good acting. But if you are watching it for a story that is good, you might regret it. its a feel good drama.

The ML’s character suffers from a speaking distress in the beginning, where he was the typical rude person. But the FL's hand made ice creams work for him and he finds ways to persuade her to make ice creams. the story is very unrealistic but thats a given since its a mushy mushy drama. He’s kind, and always grateful to people. On the other hand, the FL’s character is played by the one who is victoria songs sister in broker. she acts okay but her dialouge delivery kind of annoys me.

The casts lacked chemistry though. And once they get into relationship all they do is kiss! so if you like a lot of kisses you are in for a treat. Thats the only time you get an evidence that they love each other :P

The story and direction are just bearable. I watched it only for zhao.

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