Reviews

Thomas the Time Engine

First impressions are important and this one didn't have a good one. The drama really needed a better introduction for what they had, the first episode was just plain bad and it didn't serve its purpose. While I appreciate the shorter runtime of 12 episodes that OCN usually offers with their thrillers but even in this case some scenes and episodes were redundant. It didn't help its case repeating that one specific flashback of the night when male lead met Seo Kyung and lost his father about 20-30 times throughout the drama. The story had its usual plot holes just like most thriller/mystery of its kind but at least there wasn't anything outrageous. One more thing, it felt like it was the type of show that would benefit greatly from a custom made good OST.

Read More

Really Sad Man's Story

It wouldn't have been a 2005 melo without some heavy spoilers as the introduction scene. It was meant to be a sad love story but it was more like a really sad man's story. It's expected to see such themes in melodrama but a better balance was needed. It went overboard with how much misery it inflected on the male lead, there were some false hope moments just to double and triple down on his misery afterwards. I liked how they incorporated the friendship into the mix, it helped recovering from the inevitable bad blood. Having 20 episodes runtime turned out to be too long, not enough attention on side characters/plots to keep it rolling. I didn't like what they've done with the character Park Hye In, ended up disliking her the most. Cha Hwa Jung was the one to kick start the snowball effect but the drama didn't do much with her or give her what she deserved. Regarding the ending, I've seen the exact same ending where the male lead took the same decision from another drama but I can't remember the name. Most people would disagree with the ending but it was done like that on purpose just like every heavy melodrama back then.

Read More

If you want to watch it, do it !!!!

It was a masterpeice !!
I really liked this drama and I will surely watch it again. From the music to the acting everything was a 10/10. All the characters were well played and were relevant to the story and the focus on the story of Jeong Jinman and his niece was well done and the end of each episode leaves you on your couch wanting more. The action scenes may be a little bit too violent for those who aren't at ease with this type of scene but they are very well done. This is the 1st time I watch a kdrama made by Disney + and Hulu and I think it was very well made . So, If you still haven't watched it, you should watch it and you will not regret it !

Read More

Super cute!

This is a really sweet and light hearted series with no over the top dramatic breakup etc. The two ML actors are great in everything they do and pair up really well. If you want something on the lighter side that still has romantic scenes and kissing with funny moments then try this. The cooking elements of the show are fun and I have grown to like these types of show. We defiantly need more light-hearted softer shows like this to contrast the more dramatic shows currently airing such as pit babe. Even though the trend is becoming more towards dramatic and sexualised content, shows like this still have their place and help cheer us up.

Read More

Started out fun and engaging, even the cinematography (the yellowish filter which reminded me of the horror movies in the 2000s, i thought Sadako was gonna spring out out of nowhere) is A grade, Then somehow it got a little boring in the middle and then i realized i wasnt even looking forward to any of the episodes anymore, i just finished watching just for the sake of finishing the series.

One big problem is the chemistry between Sahara and Toki. I dont mind and i actually like the awkward overacting, but they just didnt show enough to make me care about their characters and to root for the relationship. I didnt even understand the 'slap in the back' thingy which were supposed to be a thing of affection considering those were such strong slaps and didnt they say Sahara has (or had) a back injury?

The addition of Nekoto- and for goodness sake his emo hair is so annoying - n the last few episodes even made the show worse, no wonder why Sahara chose Toki isntead of him.

Let me get this out of the way too. The idea of a teacher getting into a relationship with a high school student is very cringy layered with too many inappropriateness that gets worse when being romanticized. I am not a conservative but this is not something that i would feel comfortable seeing in real life no matter how small the age gap is.

Is this something that happens normally in Japan and i wonder what is the targeted demographic for these kind of contents? it smells of something predatory.

The fact that this is the second Japanese BL within the past 6 months with this age gap (the other one is One Room Angel) kinda bothered me a little. One other BL with this kind of premise is Minato's Laundromat (with not one but 2 of this kind of relationships) and that even got a second season. In these series, they show the younger leads vehemently pursuing the older guys, and they make you think it is ok. I somehow feel its not. These 3 series features younger HIGH SCHOOL male leads being partnered with adult guys (to be fair Minato's Laundromat handled it better) Im not against big age gap between partners but i think we have to be reminded that these high school students are STILL kids compared to the older guys they are running after. At least make both characters "adult" even if you make a 20-year age gap then it might be ok.

Overall, its a 6.5 for me. This is a series i wont even remember after a few months, and its not even entertaining enough to be rewatched.

Read More

Absolutely amazing

As someone who isn’t really a fan of historical c dramas cz they kinda bore me I was reluctant but so glad I gave it a go cz it was so worth it.
The actors as expected of Lusi and Ding Yuxi were absolutely amazing and I dt think anyone could hv done it better. The plot was sooo nice perf amount of sweet moments and I was rarely disappointed.
I’m still til now rewatching few eps as they were my fav and I hv only ofc few complaints with the how Qian Qian first liked the teacher dude that really irritated me as Han Shuo continuously tried to care for her and be nice although at the beginning he seemed a bit of a cruel character him on the inside was quite literally the sweetest he has such a nice personality and I was so annoyed that she didn’t realise that and ofc she was trying to get out of the story so wanted to finish the plot but she didn’t realise that by pushing him to Chu Chu when he didn’t even care Abt her hurt him and I really wish she saw that earlier.
Other than that it was absolutely amazing and really hope u guyz enjoy❤️❤️

Read More

From thrills to lulls

Completing this 24-episode drama marked the longest duration I've ever spent on a series of its length. It took almost an entire week of my time to reach the final episode.

Right from the start, this drama kicked off with some thrilling moments that genuinely got me excited. I couldn't help but have high expectations because of how engaging it was initially. However, as the story unfolded, I caught myself yawning after a few episodes. Even resorting to playing the drama at 1.5x speed, I still found the need to skip through certain parts.

But well, let's delve into the pros and cons.
Pros :
― Wardrobe sorcery. The costume design team must have wielded some kind of sorcery because the outfits worn by the characters were incredibly stylish and visually stunning,
― Charming casts. The actors and actresses brought their characters to life with such charm that it's nearly impossible to pick a favorite.
― Enchanting sets. The settings, particularly those depicting the Gong Residence, were nothing short of breathtaking. Every detail in these locations was meticulously crafted. The attention to detail and the aesthetic appeal of the sets enhanced the immersion and realism of the storyline.
― Stunning fighting scenes. Nearly all the fighting scenes in the drama are a visual treat. The choreography and execution of these sequences are not just action-packed but also aesthetically pleasing.
― Comedic relief. Gong Zishang's presence on screen never failed to bring a smile to my face with her antics. I just wish there was more exploration of her character. While she was designated as the weapon expert, her character didn't receive enough depth or opportunity to shine beyond providing laughs.

Cons :
― Slow-paced. The narrative slows down significantly from the middle to the end, creating a somewhat draggy pace that tested my patience.
― Excessive close-ups. Initially, the close-up shots on faces added a cinematic touch, but their overuse became a distraction. As the saying goes, too much of anything is good for nothing.
― Makeup mishaps. Some male characters suffered from poorly done makeup, giving off an amateurish vibe. The colors used didn't complement their skin tones.
― Too many whispers and boring conversations. It felt unnecessarily drawn out and contributed to moments of boredom throughout the drama.
― Lackluster overall story. The narrative leaves much to be desired. Aside from assisting Gong Ziyu in becoming the Sword Wielder and eliminating elites from Wufeng, the plot lacks substantial development. Particularly, Yun Weishan's character deserved more attention and depth.
― The open ending. Generally, I don't mind open endings, but in this drama, I found it unnecessary. It left me pondering its purpose—was it an attempt at creating a cliffhanger or did it serve a narrative intention I missed? I don't know. Perhaps an open ending would make sense if the production team planned another season. However, rumors indicate otherwise. So, consequently, the open ending feels like a detriment to the story― it feels like it's just there to disrupt the narrative flow and test my patience.

Read More

Just a Romance with no plot besides that

Initially I actually liked it, which was the cute, romantic comedy part that I generally don't like very much, and the part that I was supposed to like, which was tragic, I didn't like.

The first "arc" in the protagonist's fairy kingdom was okay, typical cute story and their relationship was good and funny to see, but after that, in the "arc" of the protagonist's kingdom there was a drastic change in the atmosphere of the drama and especially in the relationship between them and that's when it became a turn-down for me and I started to get bored watching it, it cut off the initial flow and became something else... I didn't feel like it was something continuous but rather that the drama was really divided into " arcs" with different vibes.
The next "arc" was in the human world, at this point I was tired of watching this that I couldn't even appreciate, but it wasn't a bad "arc" but rather a slow one, it was where most of the relationships between the characters developed, but other than that I found the story itself completely stupid. The aspect that made me really dislike the drama was that the characters, being immortals who have lived thousands of years, fall in love easily and very quickly, the secondary character fell in love with Orchid in about 3 meetings..... and she in 1 or 2 for him, at the end of the drama she realized that what she felt for him wasn't love, but still she was OBSESSED with the guy at the beginning, their relationship is very superficial.

In the end, the drama revolved around romance and romance and more romance, and the plot beyond that?? There were practically none.

Read More

A villain to hate and love

NOTE: there's no real spoiler in the sense that I'm not commenting on any specific scenes that give away plot surprises/twists, but the character of the FL is so different and surprising, that that in itself, feels like a spoiler to me.

As of this writing, I've seen as many episodes as have been aired on viki, and eagerly await for more.

The thing is, I started and stopped in the middle of episode 2 because the FL's looks are jarring as is her character.

Then, for the lack of anything else that interested me, I picked it up again and started to "get" it.

So far, the FL, is really gonna be the one to hate, or love, or both, or neither. I know that sounds so contradictory, but I totally went through it all: not really caring for her in the beginning cuz I couldn't be bothered to invest any interest in her; then I really disliked her because her morals are so much in the gutter; and now, I totally love her extreme villainy, the kind you see all the time from ugly, mean, manipulative, sadistic men, and I mean ugly in the sense that they — and she — are so ugly to their core that hell is not punishment enough for the crimes of humanity they perpetrate. It's actually hard to explain but better to experience yourself.

This is the first time I've seen such a portrayal from a woman. Sure, there's lots of villainous women, but it's the usual backstabbing, scheming types of cliches. The FL here is so in your face, unapologetically bad, you start respecting her choices; well at least I do. Plus, she sorts of "humanizes" her villainy in her version of a playful, devil-may-care "playboy" type of character (just sooo like what guys do in dramas).

Now I don't know if I'm just hoping that deep down, she knows what she's doing is despicably bad, and that there's a grand plan behind her shenanigans, or that at some point she's going to be as glorious in her own special way to right the wrongs she's currently so ingloriously perpetrating.

The ML is not bad. He's the eye candy, but I like it that he doesn't lose his identity and his diametrically opposed views to the FL. In the first 3 eps that have aired so far, we get a hint of them battling it out and it's not in the senseless cliched way you might see in drama; it feels more authentic so looking forward to see what happens next.

In any case, so far, so good.

Read More

47 Episodes of Flashbacks

This drama had only two things going for it. An ensemble cast who did a great job bringing their characters to life - and a gorgeous ML.

The writing was passable, but the series was drawn out by too many useless and unnecessary flashbacks. 47 episodes were really excessive. I used my fast forward button a lot. Too many police meetings and briefings, and too many musings by the villain. Those were getting really boring!

Best parts of this drama were the friendships. Jianguo, Xiao Shuai, Zhou Li, & Zi Guang - and their relationship with Uncle Guo. FL's dads - Hu Yu Jin & Huang Zhen Wu, and the young squad members.

William Chan did a great job with a character that wasn't really written well. Loved the fight scenes and just looking at him in general. They could not get him clean-shaven quickly enough for me, but he rocked the manbun!

Probably the smartest officer of the bunch, and the one who really deserved better than he got in the end, was Han Jin. Easy on the eyes as well - he always managed to inject some intelligence in their intelligence.

Finally, the FL. Normally. I don't mind Ma Si Chun. I've seen her in other things - but this one was underwhelming because of the character she was given to play and how really poorly written it was. Police can't afford to be careless or impetuous or unruly. She was just all over the place and then sulking when chastised or screwed things up. And how wishy washy was she in her relationship with the ML!? One minute she is all lovey dovey, the next she's accusing him, arresting him, interrogating him, and treating him like a criminal. Girlfriend like that? No thanks! So sorry - the romance sizzle fizzled with her character. What a waste of a sexy, gorgeous ML!

I was really looking forward to a good story, with enough time to tell it and tell it well. What a let-down. No rewatch for me, thanks. Once is punishment enough. I'll find a shorter drama with Chan in it for eye candy.

Read More

How did the director mess up such a good story? Bests me and beats the score

‼️A super lengthy review‼️

I mean how hard can it be to make a series. I know it is a very difficult task but you have a well laid out story, and great actors so how can someone mess this up so badly.

I had a lot of expectations with this one but it was a total let down. There is a way of connecting to your viewers but pulling emotional cards is definitely not the way. Too many emotional cliches only bore the audience.

The way the director and the writers have carried this out is totally wrong and boring. It has so many cliches that it is reminding me of the heirs. The original story was pretty firm and nice so I don’t get why they changed the complete story for cliches.

Ji Won is not coming out as a strong character nor is Su Min coming out as a villain. Su Min feels like a character dead set on coveting the ML in manhwas who are always idiotic and annoying.

Tbh this series could have done very well on so many grounds but the story is disappointing. I was bearing with it but after I saw the fiancé/ ex gf cliche I was so done. And what’s up with the self sacrifice ? I am not watching an army movie that I will see self sacrifice.
How did the man survive the truck only god knows.

The ost is nothing great too. Nothing that will make me you know want to sit and enjoy the songs it’s just normal. And for some reason no matter how I try I cannot see the Chemistry between those too. Oh also the sponsor placing is way too obvious and it is almost hilarious.

Read More

it is really that good

WATCH IT, GO RIGHT NOW AND WATCH IT!!!!!!!!

I don't usually go out of my way to write reviews unless a series really impresses me or doesn't meet my expectations. For this series, it has really impressed me. Being open about trauma and pain is something new I have seen in a drama, and it is so well done. There are no unnecessary cliche tropes where love heals all trauma or anything like that. Watch the series to figure out how they fix all this (lolz, is this a spoiler? I hope not).

It contains NSFW scenes, but none of them are awkward or unnecessary. A lot of BL series add NSFW scenes just to boost views, but in this one, it felt natural. I'm a sucker for the storyline this series follows, so I might be biased, but I enjoyed the series. I just finished watching it for the third time just minutes ago.

Non-CNC: Yes... not more than once.
NSFW: Hell yeah!
Tugs your heartstrings: TUGGED!
Brings up sensitive topics: Really well done.
Overall: Really well-made and deserving of a 10/10 rating. Also, both the main actors and even the side actors are eye candies. I was drooling over them for the entirety of the series.

Read More