Reviews

This SP is very good, but the following one isn't!

WARNING: this review won't only contain some spoilers about this SP episode of "Tokyo Sentimental" ("Senju no Koi"), but also about the following one (Ochanomizu no Koi").
Continue reading only if that doesn't bother you!!!

"Tokyo Sentimental" had started with a very nice SP, then came the equally brilliant drama, and finally these two further SPs.
I could sum up my feelings about them by saying "I really wish there had been only one instead of two!" >___<

Elaborating a bit more on that: this "Senju no Koi" is beautifully scripted and acted (Kuroki Hitomi is such a perfectly chosen guest star, and such a lovely match for Kururi-san!), and I loved every single minute of it...except for the unresolved, bittersweet "ending"!

I really wished the writer(s) had shipped those two together, as it would've been THE perfect way to end this "Tokyo Sentimental" franchise.
Instead, they went for that "ending" so that they could later add another SP ("Ochanomizu no Koi") which I found, in all honestly, so weak that it didn't even reach the passing grade. Such a sad way to make the audience part from this endearing character! T____T

9/10 to "Senju no Koi" (it would've been a perfect 10 with an appropriate ending!) and 5/10 to "Ochanmizu no Koi".

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Same old type

I don’t know when these Chinese directors will start to use their brain to show their talents. Their dramas are like copy and paste of old books by changing fullstops and commas. Except introducing the new GO game everything is same as old dramas.
1. Same shameless, pride less cold ML who respects only FL but treats other characters like trash, shameless FL who only knows how to use ML for her benefits but blind when ML in need.
2. ML always revolves around FL but she acts like ML doesn’t exist.
3. In maximum of dramas ML always has high EQ and IQ but his attitude is like having multiple personality. In the starting of the drama he is too official, prideful and respectful but after meeting FL his IQ and EQ drops and his character changes exactly opposite.
4. ML treats FL like she is the only person (woman) left in this planet but the FL treats all men characters socially(sometimes she avoids to be with ML yet ML revolves around her)

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I hidden gem

Ok so let me start with the fact that this is my second tv show from Taiwan and I am absolutely amazed at how great this is. This is a tv show that you will start without expectations and would not be able to let go easily. I will refrain from explaining how great it is because you simply have to give it a try. Deserves a 10 out of 10. It is not a fluffy but a very realistic tv show dealing with serious topics. It contains violence so those under 15 should wait to become of age to see it. The acting is extremely good and there was not even one person that is not suitable for its role. Top-notch in almost every aspect.

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Interesting Scientific Plot That Wasn't Executed As Well As It Could Have

I was anticipating this drama because of all Ju Jing Yi, Zheng Ye Cheng, and Merxat. I fell in love with Merxat and Ju Jing Yi from The Legend of Yunxi (TLoY). The last couple of eps (TLoY) where Merxat was crying really moved me. From that moment on, I wanted to see him acting in lead roles as I felt like he had great potential. Although this is Merxat and JJY's 3rd collaboration, he still doesn't get the girl lol (at least he was with her in the beginning for this one though). I liked Zheng Ye Cheng when I watched An Oriental Odyssey. So all 3 of them being in this drama was a win for me!

I wasn't expecting much substance for the plot because it is an idol drama, but I really couldn't help but scroll through my phone while watching this show (which I never do if the drama is interesting). There were quite a few plot holes regarding the bracelet and its control of the magnetic field around the FL. It's a shame because the entire scientific premise had potential. I thought it was interesting that they dealt with alternate parallel timelines and the seemingly unsolvable issues which made it seem steeped in reality since I hate it when everything just works out so easily. On that count, this drama was great for me. If only they executed it better, this could've been a real winner! Another advantage is that this drama is 24 eps! That's like a mini-series in C-drama land - so rare! I hate it when dramas drag out the plot for no apparent reason so this length is just about right (although rushed endings are characteristic of short dramas which is a disadvantage). Also, I was pissed when ZYC just handed WXH his game. I was expecting him to have some sort of contingency plan like when he placed a bug in his superior's app to sabotage it if his superior (from YYT) went back on his word. But no, he just let WXH have his gaming account and let him wreak all sorts of havoc. Seriously disappointed in the script there.
Special shoutout to the super adorable YYT superior though (I think he was called Sui ge?)! He was annoying, but so loveable!

Although I've seen comments about the leads' acting, I don't really see any huge issue. There was nothing cringey at all. In my opinion, I think this drama had JJY and ZYC acting the most like themselves than any other drama they've been in. I liked that they used their original voices too. The chemistry may be lacking a little (i.e. it wasn't overwhelming), but they had some! The beginning was a little weird though. For someone who was essentially a recluse, I found it odd how quickly he accepted the FL's teleporting "problem" even though he couldn't witness it for himself since he's the one she's "connected" to. One second they were at each other's throats and the next, they're flat mates??? She sounded pretty cuckoo to me when she was explaining her situation, but I guess he's seen weirder stuff. Additionally, the main leads' relationship was pretty ambiguous to me. I didn't really know when they began. They just seemed like they were flirting out of mutual attraction and then suddenly the show goes "Oh btw they got together sometime between the last scene and this one, just accept it". Or maybe there was a starting point, but I don't remember? Maybe it wasn't memorable enough. Side note: JJY and ZYC are adorable as a crime-fighting duo!

Merxat did great as the SML. Hated his character (murderer, plagiarizes, treats women like shit, lives off the misfortune of others, etc.) but love the actor! He acted really well in this role! Someone give him a ML role! I was really surprised that they gave a villain this much screentime in an idol drama. Besides his character flaws, I had a problem with how quickly he turned "good". Didn't make sense to me whatsoever. Suddenly his childhood trauma and sense of self-worth (or lack thereof) that hinged from his dad's approval of him was erased with one phrase from the FL? If only reality worked that way too, that'd be less people needing therapy lol. Really though, here's some applause for you, Merxat *claps enthusiastically*.

I was quite exasperated with Qin Yue. Girl, I know you love him, but have some self-worth and LEAVE! She started doing crazy things out of desperation because she felt like she was losing her bf to the FL. Please wake up, he was already ghosting you before she (re)appeared. No idea how she thought being an expert at waiting for her bf was some superpower - that's a serious relationship red flag! I also didn't like how she stood by his side all the way until the end, but I guess that's dedication. If he really changed, then good for them! At least she had some semblance of a character redemption arc and didn't have an unfortunate ending.

The only time I cried during this drama was the last episode during the video JJY left for ZYC. I liked JJY's acting there - it was just right. It really was sad. Again, sudden ending, but whatever, it is what it is. The fact that this drama made me cry has increased its worth in my eyes.

Overall, this drama was okay. Not bad, but not great. It started with potential, but didn't really live up to it. I was annoyed/frustrated a lot during this drama and bored at times (enough that I skipped a bunch of scenes). There weren't really any memorable characters, but there were a few hilarious moments (cue the bear costume). Usually I know it's a good drama if I still think about it after I've finished the series, but I forgot about this one pretty quickly. I'd recommend this drama if you want something lighthearted (don't think too much about the plot) and fresh (scientific time-loop plot with realistic consequences), but this is a one-time watch for me.

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I'm depressed

Yes this drama definitely gave me depression. But that's on me cause I knew what I was getting myself into. I just finished the drama and I have to talk about it right fucking now. Yes.. It was a full on emotional ride and I enjoyed every second of it. I mean yes it had it's melodrama but it wasn’t cringe. It never made me cringe. I loved every bit of it. Every character had their own stories. The series was so beautifully made. There were so many connections. Everything just made sense somehow. Now of course you cant look for logics and science from a drama like this. It served it purpose and made me cry. I had to mentally prepare myself for the trauma I'm gonna get from next episode lol. So yes I'd say the series was good.
Kim Woo Bin owns my heart. He stole the show. The way he smiled but you could see the pain in his eyes just made the show even better. Istg I just wanted to protect our big baby Jun- Young from everything. He deserves the world. How can a person cry so beautifully please God really took His time creating this man . His smile my goodness. I'll sell myself for that smile.
I can't think of a better partner than Bae Suzy in this series. She's literally so pretty. That couple was the best in my opinion. I don’t say this often for straight couples lol.
Im Joo Hwan.... He has this really beautiful skintone. Unusual features that made him very attractive. I really was hoping him to be with Eul in the last episode. He did a great job with the character. I loved this Ji-Tae character. I wish we could actually see a lil more bromance between Ji-Tae and Jun-Young. They had a really great chemistry lol
All in all I was very satisfied with the cast. Also it broke my heart when I googled the guy who played No-Jik and found out that he was accused for sexual assault. I mean ik It's not related I still just wanted to share lol. Also Kim Woo-Bin actually dealing with cancer in real life was my last straw. Please I Couldn't take anymore of it. I can't wait for his comeback. And I really pray and hope that he's doing well.

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Slow Burn Romance

I just completed watching this drama. I first attracted to watch this series because I saw the ending clip in youtube. So, I thought to myself ‘wow another drama with a tragic ending. I need to watch this. This is exactly my type of drama.’ Then, I started watching it till episodes 11. At that point, I try to grab the ideas about the stories, the plots, each characters, the relationships between characters etc. I then keep watching until episodes 15, and I almost dropped the drama though. Yes, I almost did.

Imo, the first 15 episodes is a real struggle to watch because the paced is really slow. The story line focusing on the friendships that was form by respective characters especially between Zhousheng Chen and Shiyi. From how they started off as a master and disciple, and then developed feelings towards each other (although they never confessed their feelings to each other). Along with that, the story lines goes to political feuds, competition for powers, wars, etc. Up until episodes 15, there’s not much notable scenes worth mentioning.

However, the storyline started to become interesting in the middle of episodes 15. From that point, we can see the flow of the story and the tragic events that started to build up and emerges. Until the finale episodes, I do find myself enjoying the series. I able to shed some tears here and there, and my heart aches seeing all the innocence lives were taken away because of the stupidity of the emperor, the greedy empress and obsessive young guy.

Here’s some problems that I have about the drama. The storyline though is not exceeding my expectation. There’s so many loopholes and questions to ponder. There’s not much character development too. I wonder why the monk didn’t asked for help from his father when Zhousheng Chen was caught and accused for doing rebel. I expect him to do something worth mentioning because he was the closest one to Zhousheng Chen. Like, he literally did nothing tho other than being a monk. Probably, that’s how they wanted to end the story because after all, the drama only have 24 episodes.

I would like to give applause tho to the production team. I love the cinematography, it’s beautiful and spectacular to watch. They chose the dramatic cool kind of color in entire series which I find really mesmerising. I like the OSTs, it’s good and it’s nice to listen to. The acting is great esp Bai Lu. For someone who keep laughing during off set, I wonder how she can pull off such an agony and grief emotions in her acting. This is my first time tho watching these two main leads on my screen. They did amazing job in here.

All in all, this is a good drama. But, I probably won’t consider watching it again in the future except some scenes (sad scene specifically).

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This is what a perfect thriller looks like!

I know Signal is very highly rated, despite Kairos and Signal having similarities, I found Signal to be draggy and not as thrilling as I suppose others found it to be. Whereas Kairos, had me hooked on for every single minute from the beginning episode, and I finished the whole series in a little more than 24 hours.

Firstly, the acting is brilliant, the cinematography is also very good. The way they have differentiated the past and the future by having past being a bit yellow tinted, was brilliant, and enabled viewers to never be confused.

The story was brilliantly executed, like every time related story, there are a ton of variables, and these variables from first moment the timeline changing continues to keep changing over and over with many unexpected twists till the last episode.

If you love a thriller, you will enjoy this series a lot, and unlike other series where we don't know the main villain till last episode, this series keeps you hooked by wanting to learn how ultimately the main leads will manage to solve everything and deal with the main villain.

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A first love that transcends symbolic boundaries...

Peach of Time is that drama that makes you question values and scenes, but at the same time pulls you in closer when it comes to the bond between the leads, to the acting skills of the cast, to the mix of Korean and Thai languages that in a collaboration creates such a cute masterpiece as this. I was really happy to know that Jimmy and Tommy would be in another drama together, and got even more thrilled when I learned that it was Korean production and that Jimmy would break the pattern by pairing with Jae Hyun. Quite refreshing to see both Thai actors entering in different roles in a BL rather then forming a couple.

There's a lot of speculation and mainly harsh criticism around this drama, because of the lack of information it provides or well the knowledge into this world they provide us where ghosts exist, talk and eat, as if the living can't see that happening. Lots questioning why Peach can see only Mario (Tommy) and Yoon Oh (Jae Hyung), instead of seeing more ghosts. And how come no one finds it weird that he talks into thin air as if everything happening in this drama is completely normal and ruled out.

Thing is this is most likely a small production drama, so I am only guessing the budget isn't that high to begin with. Another thing to consider is that maybe the screenwriter and production wanted to maintain the opening for the viewers to engage and take on wild imagination and think outside of the box with this. No the ghosts are not eating, it's probably an illusion or ectoplasma that "allows" them to pick on objects. The said objects are not floating on air, otherwise people would react, it's probably a projected image of sorts, that to be done properly would require extra budget and special effects too. So, it's left to people to imagine or think about a little more into perception rather than having all the work done and shown.

As for the "why" Peach is able to see Yoon Oh and touch him even. Perhaps is the connection they share, or the fact that he believed his friend was there with him in the first place. Even so when he did discovered the truth he had already seen Mario too, in a way he believes in good and is naïve, it didn't took him long enough to embrace both and accept what they are. The fact that he does that, dealing with the stages of grief differently probably makes him able to "touch" Yoon Oh. Unlike Yoon Oh's mother who can neither see him or touch him, but then again she did the same when he was alive too, she would only nudge him for good grades to enter medical school, ignoring her son's ambitions and dreams. She has been in denial ever since her loss, therefore not accepting anything because of her deeds. Perhaps in the last episode she will be able to be granted to hear her son, as she has already seen him in what appeared to be a drama, where Yoon Oh manifested to her.
As for Peach being able to see Mario, he has been a resident at the resort for two decades, I can only assume his presence has influenced Yoon Oh too because they are both spirits with deep sorrow to resolve. He is bound there and therefore connected with Yoon Oh because the resort was from his family, and Mario was a worker there. They chose to focus on only this two plots, Yoon Oh and Mario instead of the drama being about Peach being able to see ghosts and help them out which would result in a bigger mess and would need more episodes.

I am not saying there isn't a couple of flaws here and there within this series, but I am not going to be unfair and call it a disaster and rubbish solely because of those. There are far worse series out there, than this one.
By focusing on certain aspects they did neglect a few, and although some are to make the viewer think outside of the box, others are just peculiar. Like the fact that in a resort about to close down, Peach of Time café can gather quite a few clients in a crazy short amount of time. I can discard the fact that Yoon Oh's mother let him stay right away at the resort, even when she was grieving because it a friend of her son which she had always neglected, and also because maybe she felt the need to not be alone in there after everything. So, considering all that and more it's not that strange to let him in and stay.

What is strange here is the whole concept of 49 days, Yoon Oh is passing through is, but Mario has been there for 20 years. It's said that if left with deep sorrow and unsolved problems, a spirit can turn evil. It amazes me how he has not turned into one in the first place, has his 49 days pass already? Then is Su Jin , his former lover the only thing that is keeping him behind? Again, small episodes, and trying to cover all this by pointing the obvious would leave no space for imagination and theories.

Peach is not a tourist there, he is a humanitarian who travels the world into help missions. His parents run a café in Phuket back in Thailand so he is not entirely strange when it comes to the business, although it may differ from this one in Korea. It wasn't hard for him to travel to Korea to meet his friend, only to discover the sad reality and make it his personal mission to help the other to find peace, even if it will cost him more than he would like to admit.

Their love story is both beautiful and heartbreaking here. It's a tragedy of what they might have had, of a young first love that did not have a chance to blossom in the right time. Of a friendship, and bond that transcends realms of the dead and living. The symbolic value of their moments is what moves the viewer to be engaged into the plot, and ignore the plot holes previously mentioned. It's not common of a theme within the whole BL world, although there are a few dramas that tackle around this, - Peach of Time - remains so far by my standards as rather unique, not only because of the cross languages used, but also because of their beautiful story and the symbolism it truly represents. The journey of the soul, the selfless love.

As for acting, Choi Jae Hyun takes the prize here. The way he embodies the insecure Yoon Oh, and manifests the emotional struggle of being child of a single mother, of suffering bullying through his teen years, the pressure of his mother to make him study and pass a hard exam only to grad from a school he did not want to attend. Lost dreams, will to live, drowning in constant doubts, insults, pain and neglect. He was a lonely person, who preferred to ran away from his troubles, the reason he met Peach in the first place. Maybe the first time he noticed the café could be is safe haven, and took interest into being a barista. Jae Hyun has shown us the remarkable actor he is and how he can tackle down a main role as this one, no wonder he is gaining more popularity given this, and hopefully we will see him in another drama soon. His emotional scenes can move those who see him, become the broken Yoon Oh. I just want to give him a big hug because he did not deserve what happened to him.

The criticism towards Jimmy is something that I cannot fathom. I mean he is certainly younger than his co-stars, since Jae Hyun and Tommy are both 95' liners, but age does note matter when it comes to talent. And Jimmy is nurturing that within every role he has, and this role of Peach if no different. Jimmy is doing a surprisingly good job. Comparing him with more experience actors on set, that can foreshadow him and claiming he does bad acting is wrong, He still has room of improvement, but his role here is the typical clumsy, innocent and happy boy who i might add is in a foreign country so it's normal for him to not know the language or seem "stiff" when in contact with the locals, other than with Yoon Oh and his mom.

The real mystery here lies, why did Yoon Oh's mother taught him Thai language? I found it weird to have one talk in a language and the other understanding it and answering into a different one, not being a middle ground there, but oddly enough within the first episode that awkwardness dissolves and it's different and somewhat enjoyable. Could it be connected to Mario? He was after all a Thai staff that worked in the resort until the fire 20 years ago. He also said he knew Yoon Oh for long ago. I presume Yoon Oh is around the same age as Peach, 22 yo probably. That only means Mario was still alive, when he was born, and it's mentioned that Yoon Oh's grandma left him the resort in her will... Another odd fact, Peach can speak basic Korean, but he says to Yoon Oh's mother he does not know Korean, therefore he speaks Thai with her when she reassured him that she understands because she was the one who taught Yoon Oh, but how can Peach understand everything they say in Korean if he has trouble with the language?

Mario's plot is good too. His changing wardrobe seems questionable, but then again here it's all about perspective and well presuming what it might be. While in other dramas, we have seen that burning clothes can help the decease to change attires, or burning incense allows them to "eat" the food presented. Here we are not given any of that, so once again I like to consider it's a projection of an object and the plasma that fits their needs. Or focusing on the simpler version by discarding the logic and throw it out of the window and go with the flow and enjoy the drama without bickering about every single little aspect and flaw. Just appreciating how fine Tommy looks in a black suit, and how strangely sexy he can be with red contact lenses. His acting is flawless like always. Really amazing how he engages into his character, there's a certain charisma whenever he shows.

Ae Yun acting as Yoon Oh's mother is another good actress here. Although I highly resented her role, as a mother and a single mother no less, the way she showed "love" as she called it was wrong. It was never Yoon Oh's fault for the misdeeds and choices of his father, or for resembling him in the slightest. Also, to create high expectations of her child and forcing him to follow a path, was the breaking point. Often times, it leads to cases of severe anxiety and depression, and also suicidal youth problems. It is only when a tragedy happens, that they open their eyes to everything said and done, and realize how unfair they've been, her cruel text message to her son in a moment of rage was utterly despicable. Yoon Oh grown up with a busy and stressed mother who seemed to resent him for being born, and yet she has the audacity to claim he was her world. Well then, she should have treated her world better when she had the chance too.

The places are all the same, from the resort as a home to the café within it, to the short glimpses of the hospital and police station, and to the most romantic place in Seoul, the Locks of Love fence situated in Namsan Tower, production wise may be small but so far has done a good job with the resources they had in hands. I really like the color setting here, warm colors in most scenes, even at night. Be it by the warm colors of the actor's fabrics or even in the environment lights in the shots. I don't know how to explain it but it's a nice touch, instead of the whole gloomy vibe whenever there are spirits around. It creates a warm aura even in the dark scenes, a glow of well quite the "Peach" palette if I must say, from oranges to pink soft tones.

What can I say about the OST so far, it's catchy. I like it, not that memorable as some other dramas, but pleasant to hear though. I hope Jae Hyun's song is included, his voice is so soothing and beautiful that would be a crime not to have anything from him in the OST. I have not checked yet, because the OST has been taking long to be launched, but would like to see one or perhaps two theme in Thai. I know the drama is mostly Korean, but would be cute and meaningful.

It's bound to say that the ending might be realistic, despite painful, it's what the meaning of this drama is all about.
The 49 days. How to let go, and move on. A spiritual journey and experience of a lifetime.

If you engage into Yoon Oh and Peach, and the realization of their over growing feelings, their bond, their friendship, and their selfless young love. Or if you focus on Mario yearning to find his lost first love, and the reason to why he thought he had been abandoned, the deep sorrow he carries within his heart, until he faces the truth and discovers the scars of his past. If you realize how subtly the five stages of grief are incorporated into the plot through several characters and their own personal problems that seem connected with Yoon Oh. If you appreciate the settings and surroundings, the symbolic message the drama portrays and the value of the sentimental scenes. If you listen to the OST and the lyrics of the songs.

You might even grow fond of the main characters and cheer them on despite knowing that there is a rift between them.

The beauty here is in the maturity Peach has to deal with such a sensible matter, and how strong he is to carry that responsibility upon his shoulders. And that slight immaturity and jealousy Yoon Oh shows on certain times, because he fears the to be lonely, if Peach will end up leaving him behind. And yet they are both equally mature for their age, while dealing with everything with grace. To know that the current situation is not okay to be maintained despite their growing feelings, to know that there will come a time where one has to let go of the other, and see him depart with peace.

Many fail to remember how this drama started. It starts with a hint of the possible ending. Peach remembering Yoon Oh on his table, mentioning what he learned and what the other has taught him while he stayed in Korea for that short amount of time. The memories he gained and the lessons learned, that moment was him leaving the resort and café he temporarily opened. Now, not sure if they left that there because they were building up the thriller in the plot until the reveal of what happened. Still, it would be foolish to change that course of events, since it seems settled on happening. How are they going to develop that in the final episode, hopefully without leaving loose ends. It's a good meaningful drama, with a chance of re-watch value, at least for me, since I am a sucker for symbolic meanings.This was a first time for me to see the mix of Korean and Thai in a drama, it would be fun if this would open doors and allow different collaborations in other up coming dramas and projects too.

Don't watch this drama is you don't expect to suffer a bit through the episodes.
Don't fall into the romance, expecting a holy miracle or magical twist through the story.
Just give it a try and enjoy the ride. It happens fast, 10 episodes of more a less 30 minutes tops.
The storyline is meaningful and unique in a certain way, and the main actors synergy engages in quickly.
Yoon Oh's and Peach way of love is certainly bittersweet and lovely at once when you realize the predicaments.
Not all information is provided in plot, which allows you to think and create elaborate theories of your own.
You will be cheering them on, and you'll want to cry whenever Yoon Oh cries, because his acting is that good.
Memorable for everything I have seen so far. Really love these 3 main characters, Yoon Oh, Peach and Mario.

NOTE (SPOILERS rant): Just finished it. The last episode could have been A LOT better. I liked the series as whole despite its flaws, but this last episode lacked in more ways than the whole series.

Mario is seen having a blast with his first love but has he resolved his deep sorrow and moved on? It never really shows. The party was the most cringe little party I've ever seen. Not sure if the audio and synch were really off but it made things awkward with Yoon Oh having a poker face while "singing" what it could be an emotional song .
Once again, no one interrupted the lonely Peach in there or found it weird that the host of the party did not joined his guests... It does not tell if Yoon Oh's mom forgives the man responsible for her son's death, but from his confession it was indeed an unfortunate "accident" rather than a murder or suicide.

FINALLY Peach and Yoon Oh hit the beach in winter and we learn that the deep sorrow within Yoon Oh's heart is, not being able to confess his feelings for Peach while he was still alive. Such a pity that the final kiss scene is gone with the wind in there. The bracelets break and I guess their wishes come true. If Peach's wish was for Yoon Oh's to be at peace then what was Yoon Oh's wish?The boiler, the sudden smoke, he gets scared by that, so could it be that he has lost his "ability" to see the dead?

I doubt that was a mere coincidence when the café seemed closed for business. It also does not disclose if the resort is sold, the characters simply disappear after the Christmas party and that is it. I know it focuses on both, - Peach and Yoon Oh, - however there's a little thing called closure in a storyline that does not happen here.

Peach is back to being ordinary not being able to see Mario or Yoon Oh.
And could it be that Yoon Oh really did moved on?
Or is he still around like Mario, watching over his loved ones?

Endless possibilities and theories, but it's not entirely a satisfying enging... Even with the hint that there could be a continuation of the story. Overall this drama, has it's up and lows, that much is certain, but we cannot disclose that the message is here wavering between the awkward and meaningful scenes the show tries to portray.

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I enjoyed the comedy and some of the fluffier scenes and the leads formed a reasonably good pairing, but I found the drama quite frustrating. Usually if the romance is on point & I get enough sugar I can be quite forgiving when it comes to bad writing, however the annoyances should be at least below a certain level! Tiger and Rose is unfortunately full of majorly annoying plotlines, situations and events and the writing is just extremely juvenile. None of the major characters have a consistent personality, there were way too many arbitrary happenings & actions without an acceptable motive. Perhaps binge watching made it worse, because I'm sure I would have largely forgotten about much of the conflicting dialog, had I only watched 1-2 episodes a week, but still I felt quite a few things were just intelligence insulting.

Even if I begrudgingly accept, that due to the "drama within a drama" setting, the regular cast were just sillier than normal, at least the FL should have been somewhat sane, right? Chen Qian Qian however is perhaps the dumbest, most unreasonable FL character that I have seen in a cdrama thus far.

I cannot help but compare this show to Mr. Queen. That show also had quite a few annoyances if I want to be entirely honest, but it was not nearly as infuriating as this one and also Mr. Queen is just HUGELY funnier and everything is just massively better, from the production quality to acting performances, the OST etc.. Oh wait, never mind, the ending is perhaps even worse in Mr. Queen, I forgot about that for a second!

I sense that censorship made a significant impact in this drama. That's probably the main cause behind the horrid ending, which follows the same template as in The Day of Becoming You.

Lusi seems like a very talented actress, she's totally romcom queen material. This drama and Dating in the Kitchen were just a waste of her talent in my opinion.

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Like a warm cup of tea on a rainy afternoon

I recommend watching Do you like Brahms if you are looking for a soothing and musical love story. It’s the first drama I’ve watched in months from start to finish without putting it on hold (and not on my phone). That’s not to say that the drama doesn’t have any flaws or doesn’t drag towards the end, but overall it was an easy watch for me. It’s not a very fast paced show but it’s good enough that I didn’t realize until maybe episode 11 that I’d come so far. Like most k-dramas, the episodes drag a bit after the 10th episode, but not so much that I just had to stop! Having said that, I wouldn’t recommend this drama to those who are in for lots of surprises, big twists and maybe a dark side to the plot (like in What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim). It also doesn’t have much comedy to it (True Beauty). Do you like Brahms is a mellow and subtle love story. Sure conflicts are aplenty but nothing that doesn’t get resolved or completely breaks your heart. Yet, the execution is unique and the characters are really well written. It also avoids a lot of K-drama tropes and the relationship between the leads is handled very well. It might also help you to decide if you want to watch the show if you understand the focus of the story. It’s mainly a story about two people overcoming their pasts and other internal conflicts to eventually fall in love and commit to each other. There are several love triangles tied in together and the focus is on 6 characters who face various conflicts mainly with unrequited love. As the plot focuses on them, some of the other side characters such as their families don’t get a lot of attention (more on this later) – I personally found this refreshing, that all conflicts were between the leads and not because maybe a parent wasn’t happy with their relationship and so on… But those who love the quirks and emotions that the supporting cast can bring to a drama, you will not find much here however the advantage is that the focus is on the relationship between the leads and on MUSIC which obviously is key to the plot.

Now some of the pros and cons of the drama in more detail that you may find helpful –
Pros
Female Lead - I think any introvert who has watched the show would agree that Song Ah’s character is one of the most relatable introverted female characters I’ve seen in (recent) K dramas. Park Eun-Bin is subtle and believable in her portrayal of Song-Ah, she’s brilliant in this role. Something about her feels very personal and real. Song-Ah is gentle and quiet yet strong, honest, and straightforward. She knows her mind and is not afraid of expressing her feelings. For some, towards the end of the show (episode 12 onward) her character probably seemed annoying and not in line with how it was portrayed early on in the show. I personally didn’t see it as a stretch. Since she is an introvert, I did not see it as unrealistic for her to tolerate as much as she could and then one day just blow up in an attempt to reclaim her sanity. It was impressive how she stood up to her manipulative professor and was not a push over. Because the writer waits until episode 13 to have Song Ah release all this pent up anger or frustration (lol) to some she can come across as overbearing and unfair to Joon-young. I actually really liked that she was true to herself and did not hesitate from making changes in her life to reclaim her happy self and reduce her anxiety. I respected her decisions and felt that her character was very well written and nuanced. The writer remained true to her character and her honesty and courage not only helped her but also others around her in the end. There was one minor complaint I had (see ending) about how her professional dilemma was resolved but I didn’t mind it too much. I look forward to other female characters the show writer will develop in the future. Thanks for bringing Song Ah to screen!!

Musical passion v talent – Joon Young has a natural talent for playing piano. In fact, that’s what he’s done for the majority of his life. While Song Ah came late to music… she left her potential career in business and started playing the violin for her sheer love of it, unfortunately she doesn’t have a natural talent for playing it. This conflict between Joon Young and Song Ah is central to the plot. Although this conflict is specifically regarding music, it lends itself to other relatable scenarios of life. The dialogues portraying this conflict are beautifully penned, and you’ll find yourself relating to Song Ah’s dilemma and find courage from her to pursue your passion in life and be true to yourself.
Music – As you already know, music is key to the plot, and there are classical music pieces throughout the show. I found all of it very soothing. I will say though that the Traumerei piece does get old by the end of the show because it is referred to several times during the show. It is still a beautiful piece and the production team has done a great job pulling all this music together.

Chemistry between the leads – The chemistry between the leads is great! It looks very real and they are very cute together. There are some great scenes between them especially in the first 10 episodes. It’s too bad that later the writer-director team chose not to focus much on their chemistry. Later their relationship becomes more talk-y and heavy on emotions. This is not necessarily bad as most relationships run into communication related issues early on and as both partners grow and mature these issues get ironed out. It was wonderful to watch their relationship mature over the course of the show, in fact in the last episode they look so comfortable together. However, I personally would have liked to see some sexual chemistry or tension in later episodes as well just because it would have made their relationship seem more realistic, but I also get what the writer and director were going for.

Cons
Did Joon Young really love Jung Kyung? – I frankly found this angle to be the most unconvincing part of the plot. Too bad, that this is such a major part of the plot. It’s shown that Joon Young used to be in love with Jung Kyung and is slowly emerging out of it, as he attempts to start a new relationship. At first, watching the flashback to his show in NYC, I thought maybe they slept together, or at least they shared a passionate kiss. But what happened seemed very minor for such a big conflict and it was mostly from Jung Kyung’s side. And even if you buy into that, I just felt that not even once Joon Young showed any type of affection or emotion towards her that would lead me to believe that he loved her a lot. He seemed mostly cold and cordial and frankly it seemed more like a one sided ordeal for Jung Kyung. If the show wanted to tell the story of people who are in love with more than one person at once, they should have committed to it more fully. I felt the show backtrack several times and there was not much in it to convince me that the leads had eye for anyone except each other right from the start.

Underutilized subplots and side characters – There are some characters in the show I would have like to known more about, but it probably was hard for the writer to juggle these subplots and give everyone ample time on screen. An example is Dong Yoon, Song Ah’s first love. It was fascinating for me, how his love for Song Ah unfolded gradually. But he kind of disappears after he confesses to her and becomes more sort of a messenger between Hyun Ho and Jung Kyung. So are the oddities of the drama land, that even when he sees Song Ah crying in his studio in one of the later episodes, he calls her friend Min Sung to comfort her instead. Of course it’s a wise and respectful decision, but if he loved her wouldn’t he lean toward comforting her himself.

The other interesting angle is Song Ah’s family especially her sister and mother. Song Hee, her sister is a fascinating character but we don’t learn much about her. I understand that it’s probably hard to give screen time to everyone in a show but it would have been nice to have known more about her. Interestingly though Song Ah’s family seems to not support her decisions at first , they come around later, and the writer chooses not to spend so much time on their disagreements. There are disagreements but unlike some other dramas the mother doesn’t seem authoritarian. I actually thought that later in the show the class differences between Song Ah and Joon Young would become an issue but it never does and refreshingly they don’t seem to care much about her dating life.

Ending – How often do we even get a perfect ending in drama land? *sigh* there’s always more to desire. One of my complaints is how Song Ah ended up professionally. She ended up pretty much what Soo Kyung (her professor) had predicted. She gave up music and got more of a management role! Isn’t that what the dilemma was to begin with. I mean, I get it, it wouldn’t have been realistic for her to have become this gifted artist all of a sudden but it did seem like a bit of a let down when ultimately what she was fighting in all 15 episodes is what comes to be.

Overall – This is a great show to watch if you are looking for a relatively light love story. It has few to none comic parts but I didn’t think it was emotionally very heavy. The leads have great chemistry and the FL is very relatable. Just know it drags from Episodes 11 to 15, but ultimately there are no big setbacks and you’ll have a smooth ride until the destination.

:) Having said all this I would love to know what were your thoughts on the show? Also what did you end up watching after you finished Do you Like Brahms?

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Male lead can catch my heart anytime he wants

This show was really good ! I kinda expected some supernatural elements with the title and the poster's general vibes so I was a little disappointed at first but it didn't last long fortunately ^^

I loved the female lead she was badass and funny and I understood her sense of responsabilty mixed with guilt towards her twin sister, it shows that nobody is perfect when dealing with an autistic relative... I'm glad the male lead could relate to her and defend her in front of the metro division (I was so angry with them !!) In fact some scenes were very emotional I didn't expect that (many tears were shed haha) The male lead was adorable, he often made me tear up whenever he was with his mother and his chemistry with the female lead was great too ! The actor playing the main villain was also fantastic (I was fooled until the very last revelation lol)

The only character I had a hard time with was the ex girlfriend, I could understand the pression put on her shoulders but her behavior with the female lead was just mean and unjustified. I would have liked it more if a friendship bloomed between them...

Overall it was a good show and I wasn't bored watching it. It was just a litle hard sometimes to follow their reasoning in resolving the cases but maybe I'm not smart enough xD I found the ending satisfying and the OST is very pleasant too so give it a try !

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The male lead stole my heart

It's really a good romance drama !! The chemistry between the leads is amazing !!! I didn't think I would like the main lead at first but he really grew on me and the actor did an extraordinary job, I'm gonna look for his other works just to see him again.

It's a slow burn (it's exactly what I love so some people will think it's too slow and get bored but if you also love this trope give it a chance please !) It was funny (the main lead's best friend was especially hilarious) and had many cute moments ! I also didn't have any second lead syndrom (I love the actor so I was kinda scared of that but the main lead is really fantastic I rooted for him very quickly)

The only negative point was the whole superstition thing that was still a bit too much even in the last few episodes but we got a happy ending for everyone so I can't say I'm really unhappy with it ^^ It's sad that the rating is so low, it deserves better so give it a try if you like the romance genre !

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Clichés done right

*SPOILERS ALERT*

I nearly didn't watch this because of the bad rating but I'm glad I gave this a try because I ended up loving it ! The main plot of the show is the romance so don't expect any action, nail bitting suspense or a real documentary on the radio's world.

I personaly think that all the characters are very well written. The only one I didn't really understand was the doctor. I think it would have been better to erase the part of the whole "I'm gonna send you letters accusing you of a murder that happened 12 years ago because I want to see you cry" and see a real friendship develop between the two instead (it didn't add any real suspense so it was kinda pointless). I loved the relationship between the male lead and his "rival in love". I was scared of the love triangle at first, but the writers handled it well and I didn't have any second lead syndrom (it's often the case for me so it's worth mentioning). Even so, I really liked his character, he was fun and a little crazy but it was a nice contrast between him and the main lead. Concerning the latter, I loved his character development, but I admit I was a little worried when he called the female lead 20 times a day in the middle of the series (fortunately he calmed down at the end and the female lead wasn't afraid to voice her thoughts concerning that !).
The female lead was also the main reason I loved this series. She was understanding at the right moments but it didn't stop her in pursuing her dreams (unlike in certain dramas where the female lead kinda forgets she has a life the second she gets a boyfriend). I personally thought they were very cute and funny together, and some scenes between them were very emotional so what's not to love ?

I wasn't bored at all so I was a little surprised when I saw certain comments saying that but to each their own, it can't satisfy everyone that's for sure ^^ So if you want a cute romance where the relationship between the leads takes its time to develop, with some funny moments and loveable secondary characters, I urge you to give this series a chance :)

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From a webtoon to a drama, a really good adaptation

*SPOILERS ALERT*

Having read the webtoon first, I was curious at how they would handle all the drama with Su Ho moving away in the States and Joo Gyung/Seo Jun relationship in only 16 episodes. I think they handled it pretty well even though it dosen't follow the original story. It's maybe for the better considering that Su Ho continues to talk to her when in the US, at least at the beginning before the break up (I still think his reason for breaking up in the drama is pretty weak but it was inevitable).

I saw a few comments here saying that Joo Gyung is weak and cowardly for far too long. Well, I can't say she isn't but considering her past and trauma, I don't see this as a real problem. The journey to love oneself is long and tortuous so how could we have such a character overcome her trauma and insecurities in just a few episodes ? Even she admits that she is cowardly and tries to do better. I could totally relate to her and I was overall happy with her character development.
The one thing I was disappointed in was the horrible reaction of her class after discovering her "real face" and her being bullied at her old school. Even Joo Gyung's so called bestfriend flee the scene and later tries to guilt trip her into thinking that she was the one in the wrong for not telling her friends everything about her past. I don't think a friendship like that is worth having honestly, especially after having Soo Jin betray her first in such a cruel way. At the very least you can try to reach out when you see that your bestfriend is absent from school the next days but no she doesn't even do that (we can only say thank you to Su Ho and Seo Jun for showing a little humanity *irony*).

Concerning the love triangle, I can't say that I'm not happy with this ending but my heart was torn between the 2 male leads during the whole show ^^' why can't they shoot an alternative ending/special episode in which Seo Jun gets the girl ?? I admit that if the roles were reversed and it was actually Seo Jun from the start, I would have been sad for Su Ho so yeah it was a difficult choice... It just proves that the actors did an amazing job in playing their characters!! The casting was indeed top notch. And the OST was amazing too!

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Well Acted With No Depth To It

This is the gay love story of Mr. Spock had he been raised on Earth. Unemotional. Logical. Individuals unable to see what is literally right in front of them. It is a sad story really with only glacial growth of the characters, often too late. It is a very well acted series filled with adorably cute guys and as Spock himself would say, "Fascinating but illogical." It is the first love story that is scripted from a purely logical point of view. It is not that I did not like this series. I did (not a lot) but it had little impact on me and I thought wasted the talents of some gifted actors and actresses.

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