Reviews

mentally ill ppl deserve love too

Ive seen an absurd amount of reviews headlining that kelvin's redemption arc was unnecessary. The response to Yesterday has proven once again that this generation of viewers lack the capacity to handle and appreciate complex characters. Kelvin has bipolar disorder, one google search should suffice in informing you about the condition - unstable sense of self, distorted view on reality, inability to regulate emotions, leading to intense mood swings that fuel abusive behavior towards oneself and others which in the moment does not register as abusive to the person with bipolar disorder.

“I dont know how to love you” - ep 9 (39:30) to me just cements that Kevlin is unsure whether he has the ability to express his love to Vier in a healthy manner. Does he deserve to be forgiven? Yes absolutely, given his circumstances as well as if you stand in his shoes. Bankrupting Vier and his entire family in his pursuit of power was justified in HIS eyes because 1. Only then would he have avenged himself and his mother as well as achieve his goal 2. In his eyes, his power is Vier’s power therefore the more power he had the more he can give Vier. He held Vier hostage in a fit of rage, understandable bc if my fine shyt ran off for months id lose my mind and lock them up as soon as i saw them again. Was it right? No. Do I understand, hell yes. I think people are forgetting that after a while ( i believe on the 3rd day) he let him go after it clicked to him that just maybe Vier didn't appreciate being chained up and the attempted sexual assault. Vier choose to stay, they were living together and as deluded and sick Kelvin was he truly wanted the best for Vier (reference him getting Vier a psychiatrist). In the final ep everyone was quick to jump on the "Kelvin need to be punished" bandwagon without truly having some compassion. "When people truly love each other there are no mistakes, its about whether or not your willing to forgive" encapsulates the answers on why Vier acted towards Kelvin the way he did and honestly FortPeat did an amazing job. I wished there was less focus on the side couple and more focus on Vier and Kelvin but i truly appreciate the care and attention that was put into Kelvin's character and his relationship with Vier

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Gross

The first scene literally being SA should've been my first sign to click out of it, never open with something like that what the hell? This story is so clearly made by some random fetishizer like there is no way anyone on the team for this show thought it was normal whatsoever, and if you get rid of the clear SA then it's such a boring cliche been done 100 times. If you have to add SA to your story for it to have some kind of entertainment (?) to it you are just a bad and uncreative writer, so gross so dumb. And the ML was so delusional like BRO your BEST FRIEND is bringing you medicine because you are sick and he's your… BEST FRIEND not because he wants in your pants my GOD. Anyways, could have been done a lot better overall just kind of nasty and gross.

if i could've given the story a 0 i would've

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It needs Season 2!

It made me feel like I'm part of a game instead of watching a drama. It felt like an immersive experience instead of passively watching! That's why I understand the mixed reviews at the same time the hype.

First, it's not the typical idol drama-its appeal is not for the hype it's more of a cinematic experience-and as for me I find myself asking questions along with the characters! That is why it does not appeal to everyone. There may be scenes that may seem boring, dragging but honestly it comes with the plot. I think it was intentionally made the viewer be attached and painstakingly be a part of the main character's journey.

The cast were amazing - they all shined in their own respective roles gave justice to them and more!

Xiao Zhan's chemistry with all the other main characters were amazing! The scenes were gripping and the mystery of these characters is what make this whole drama interesting. I always also look forward to all the other story and scenes with other characters. They all have interesting stories and the actors for the roles were also amazing!

Special mention!!
Duke Ping Jin and his son's character development what a well written character!

Scene stealer!!
Xiang An Tu! Zhang Jingyi was always so beautiful and great actress for me but seemed always with the same characters in her dramas BUT here, her character was the icebreaker! I was surprised of her versatility as an actress It didn't occur to me this type of character may suit her too love her and love how they wrote her character and her scenes are a scene stealer what a treat! She should not be underestimated!

What then stood out?
It's different from your usual male-centric idea of a male. Zang Hai is flawed, unsure, and calculating. He just makes use of what he has even without having that usual characteristic of male leads. He was not the typical high-ranking General, the glorified warrior, No outstanding fabled / mysterious martial artist. He was just an ordinary person that led an extraordinary life achieved with a journey filled with diligence, perseverance and the refusal to give up.

Zang Hai's grit led to his glory.

My only comment is the lack of chemistry of Main character-Zang Hai and the so called Master Gao Ming I don't know they supposedly have a tight bond/father-son bond but for me I find their scenes lacking/a bit boring-maybe due to lack of chemistry or what I tend to fast forward or play it at a higher speed when it's their scenes! haha

WHY SEASON 2?

The story has a lot of unfinished stories for me, needs more exploration, background and with that it has a lot of potential! A movie spinoff would also be ok considering the success it achieved- just anything that would give a background of the whole story! It's deep and wide and very interesting! It has a different point of view of fantasy - not straightforward that is why it does appeal to a lot of people especially for the impatient ones! hahahaha

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good intimacy with draggy poor communication/mopping ep 7 and after (watch suggestions)

Overall: I rated this much higher before episodes 7 and after. 10 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on iQIYI https://www.iq.com/play/magic-move-episode-1-1akg1uvb3g4?lang=en_us and Moonlight Glow YouTube channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEhCS-4vUKl-Dbe6cHsOnTLjDVWWNkKmC&si=tEQJiU6q7Mqvpzco

Content Warnings: manipulation, blackmail, held against will, violence, self harm, blood, death, grief

Watch Suggestions:
- watch episodes 1-6
- episode 8 watch 26-38:20
- skip episode 9
- episode 10 watch 12:55-16:20 and 36:20-end (including the extra scene after the initial end credits)

What I Liked
- it was funny how he got into fortune telling (though he's going to need to slow down lol)
- the dream in episode 1
- intimacy

Room For Improvement
- what the writers did to a character in episode 9
- multiple main characters annoyed me. Who needs enemies with "friends" like those (bartender dude was fine turning his best friend into an alcoholic). Itt knew he was hurting Rit by not saying he knew also did the "I can explain" and never explained. Rit also lied and then somehow thought all the actions/feelings they experienced were false? And I cannot believe he did that AT A FUNERAL
- the finale a character apologized for manipulation by more manipulation lmao and they reconciled at 39 minutes...of a 46 minute episode!
- constant comedy sound effects

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Could have been one of the best...

My Only Sunshine is definitely going to be my biggest disappointment of the year. The series had the potential to be one the best for 2026. The cast has chemistry, it has a fantastic OST and on a technical level, it is one of the best so far this year.

Unfortunately, even with a mostly good story, the series had to go ahead and romanticize sexual assault. Flint apologized to everyone about everything expect for the actual crime she committed when she raped Sun because she "loves" her.

I get it, sexual assault is an unfortunate fact of life, so I didn't have an issue with that scene itself. My issue is that it was then passed off as romantic and made it seemed like Flint was justified in her actions towards Sun.

I could not imagine rewatching this. Such a disappointment.

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Really cute main couple, but there was some inconsistencies with the story that were hard to ignore

first off, let me start this by saying I by no means disliked this show. I loved it. There were, however, multiple times during the story where I was confused. What was the point of Ta Khuean? And why did it matter that he was also a police officer who lived in the same town as Atikun, when it was obvious he didn't do it? why did they continue investigating Khuean, even after he called a victim who was already dead? If he was the killer, why would he call? Why did none of these people use their guns until the last two episodes? Why did King go into the cooler without a gun? Why were they not frantically searching for King when he was kidnapped, and why did we need a love scene when there were more important things at stake? I was also disappointed with how obvious it was who Atikun was.

I know I rambled a lot, and it seems like I'm upset about the show, but honestly I still really enjoyed the characters, and the cuteness between the main couple made up for all of the confusing plot lines.

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Did Not Watch the Original Series

The first 11 minutes was very interesting. Unfortunately, this faded away as the series continued. The script was mostly boring with many weak aspects. The comedy sections were not funny and the dramatic sections lacked human interest. Many of the characters were actually very likable with the exception of Risa. This character was very annoying and I started to dislike any of the scenes with her in it. Although I usually can overlook a weak script when I like many of the characters, this was not giving me enough to really care about the storyline or characters. However, the cinematography and acting were good.

Random Note:

As I noted above, I did not watch the Korean original story (Hot Stove League). I went in without any preconceived notion what this series should be. I personally think this series suffered due to a bad script regardless whether this was a remake or not.

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Why can they have a cast and a budget for such a poorly written story?

PLOT: Guy, who has had a long-standing crush on his best friend Wahl, is devastated when Wahl starts dating a girl. Guy takes refuge in an online game and makes friends in the guild. There, he meets Tew (Yuri in the game, whom Guy thought was a girl), who is later revealed to be the right-hand of a gang leader. Tew, in love with Guy, decides to leave the gang when he becomes Guy's boyfriend, but he is pursued by the other second-in-command, Kenji, who is ready to kill everyone. To protect Guy, Tew eventually leaves him. But...

+++ Meen (a good actor with a very natural style) and Ping (acting skills need improvement) in CL. They are cute together, but Ping's character is quite annoying.
+++ Fast-paced, but the editing is too rushed.

### The story is incoherent, VERY poorly written, with a "Kenji" narrative arc that doesn't hold water.
### The direction is clumsy, lacking essential transitions and development. As a result, it's impossible to get invested in the story.
### The fight scenes are terrible... It feels like watching a bad play (x_x)⌒☆

=> Frustrating series [especially, I guess, for the actors who had to perform in this awful drama :( ]
***********************************************************
Pourquoi avoir un cast, un budget, avec une story aussi mal écrite ?

PLOT : Guy, ayant un crush depuis longtps sur son best friend Wahl, est désespéré qd Wahl commence à fréquenter une fille. Guy se réfugie alors dans un jeu en ligne, et se fait des amis ds la guilde. Il rencontre ainsi Tew (Yuri ds le jeu, que Guy pensait être 1 fille) qui se révèle ensuite être un sous-chef de gang. Tew, amoureux de Guy, décide de quitter le gang qd il devient le boyfriend de Guy, mais il est poursuivi par l'autre sous-chef, Kenji, prêt à tuer tt le monde. Pr protéger Guy, Tew finit par quitter Guy. Mais HE.

+++ Meen (bon acteur, qui a un jeu très naturel) & Ping (acting skills à améliorer) en CL. Ils sont mignons ensemble, mais le personnage de Ping est assez agaçant.
+++ Rythme rapide, mais montage trop rushed.

### Story pas cohérente, TRES mal écrite, avec arc narratif "Kenji" qui ne tient pas la route.
### Réalis° maladroite, sans les transitions et les développements indispensables. Du coup, il est impossible de s'investir dans cette histoire,
### Très mauvaises scènes de fight ... On a l'impression d'assister à une mauvaise pièce (x_x)⌒☆

=> Série frustrante [surtt pr les acteurs qui ont du jouer ce drama nul :( ]

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this show was built for me /j

i started this while looking for something dark to watch during a depressive episode, because sometimes i just need a little depressing drama to take the edge off, y’know. and i gotta say, this show is fucking impeccable.

i have no expectations especially since it’s a coupang series, and they’re not known for a lot of their productions, so i was very delightfully surprised with a gorgeous drama that keeps the tension and balances it out with the family dynamics and some comedy that actually feels appropriate. (like objectively stingray is a fucking hilarious person even though he’s a POS. like saying your gross ass son is cute like a fucking 토끼, IN FULL SERIOUSNESS, 나가 미친 새끼!)

this show does so well blending in reality, the past, and what yeongsu/yeonghui is doing to others without making them seem to be happening all at once. i love how the writing and the actors genuinely bring the story to life, and their chemistry makes everything feel like a dysfunctional family that really love each other but are at odds with each other. the last episode really is a penultimate showing of that dysfunction and breaks down so much more of yungsu as a person.

the “romance” between yungsu and chulsu/chulhui is genuinely heartwarming at times even if it’s fueled by their slight obsession with each other, and the both of them are riddled with memories of their past. chulsu is a wife guy in the worst way possible i love him. like he would follow her to ends of the earth and kill anyone in their path, and die for her continued existence. you don’t get a lot of that with straight dramas, especially with her being notoriously stronger than him. he never once has the upper hand and he doesn’t care about it, he just wants to give her the cute hair pin and live with her the rest of his life.

i also love the twins so much, jihoon is hilarious and jiwoo is so fun. though if i met jihoon in real life i would be terrified of him, but if i met solomon (his actor) i would coo at him he’s so cute. the dynamic between the twins is so nice, because even it jiwoo acts like she hates him, he’s still her brother and she cares about him. while jihoon acts like he wears his heart on his sleeve, the man has a darkness deep within him that he channels in ways that are healthier than they could be. i do love jiwoo slightly a bit more though, she is such a fascinating character because she isn’t trying to be the tough girl stereotype, and she is trying to open up to yungsu after her whole life of believing that yungsu doesn’t love her as much as jihoon, and that it was her mom’s fault she never developed her power. (and lied about her technical epilepsy, i say technical bc of how her powers work)

jiwoo and jihoon do try to heed to yungsu’s words and warnings even if they don’t trust her 100%. they do try to break free sometimes, even though they do deep down know she has their best intentions at heart. i think it works really well especially towards the end, with all of the entanglement with XI.

and oooh i love yungsu so gd much don’t play w/ me. i feel her deeply in my soul, and i understand a lot of her motivations as a person. i’ve lived that apathy before and it is devastating in its’ own ways; she wants to be the happy mom for them, she wants to show how much she loves them. she wants to protect them, and for them to not end up like her. she truly loves them as if she birthed them, and tried her best to raise them to be good people.

all around fantastic show, loved it to bits. can be very gorey at times so not for faint-stomached peeps. i couldn’t directly tell if a lot of the blood was squibs or cg, but if they were squibs they were SO well done!! (the wrist amputation scene had me in awe bc of how consistent it was)

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Writers really dropped the ball

To be honest, the writers really dropped the ball with this second season.

Season 1 of The Imperial Coroner was engaging, well-paced, and full of clever storytelling that kept me hooked. Going into Season 2, I had high expectations—but unfortunately, the storyline felt rushed and not as thoughtfully put together.

I will say, the director did a solid job. The scenes were well executed, and the locations—though familiar from other dramas—still looked beautiful and worked well visually. That part didn’t disappoint.

However, the biggest issue for me was the direction of the story. This drama is supposed to center on the female lead as the first female coroner during the Tang Dynasty, yet Season 2 shifts too much focus onto the male lead. It takes away from what originally made the story unique.

Another choice that didn’t sit right with me was the three-year time jump. It felt unnecessary—honestly, a one-year gap would have made more sense and kept the emotional continuity stronger.

What I really missed was the investigative aspect. Season 1 had a strong focus on examining bodies and solving crimes through forensic work, but Season 2 moves away from that. Instead, it leans more into political conflicts between cities and kingdoms.

The major cases themselves were interesting in concept but not executed as well as they could have been:

A drug that makes people believe they have a serious illness
Bugs implanted in people as part of a military strategy

Both ideas had potential, but the storytelling around them felt underdeveloped.

As for the characters, the male and female leads do have some sweet moments as a couple, but it doesn’t go much deeper than that. The second male and female leads continue to support the main storyline, mostly assisting the male lead as needed.

One subplot that stood out was the male lead’s older brother, the general, and his quiet feelings for the second female lead’s friend—we get glimpses of this over about seven episodes, which added a bit of emotional interest.

The darker side of the story comes from the second prince of a neighboring kingdom. He’s driven by resentment toward his father and brother and is willing to use anyone to achieve his goal of becoming emperor. His storyline had weight, but again, it felt rushed toward the end.

And that ending… it just didn’t land.
The prince takes his own life, the neighboring kingdom submits to the Tang emperor, the second leads remarry, and the main couple decides to step away for some time. Everything wraps up too quickly, without the emotional payoff it deserved.

Overall, Season 2 had strong visuals and some interesting ideas, but the rushed pacing, lack of focus on the female lead, and weaker storytelling made it a disappointment compared to the first season.

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Love, Guilt, and the Weight of Choices

I originally had no interest in this drama because it’s not really the kind I usually go for, but after watching a few clips, I ended up giving it a try… and I’m actually glad I did. I also think the title perfectly describes the drama, it really captures the tone of the story and what it’s trying to explore.

This drama really leans into obsession, guilt, and regret, and that’s what keeps it interesting. It’s more of a psychological slow burn than something fast-paced, so yeah, it can feel a bit slow at times. But it’s one of those shows where everything is placed very intentionally, and as you keep watching, you start seeing how all the pieces connect.

The female lead got a lot of hate, but honestly, I didn’t see her the same way. She’s not perfect, and that’s exactly why she works. She does hurt the ML at times, and she’s not completely innocent, but her actions make sense emotionally. Her past with her ex isn’t something small you can just ignore. They were childhood friends, they basically grew up together, and she loved him for years. That kind of connection doesn’t just disappear overnight.

Even when he comes back and everything gets revealed, she still chooses her husband. She struggles, she hesitates, she feels guilty… but she never really crosses the line. And I think this is where a lot of people misunderstand her. They confuse her empathy and guilt with love. From the way both male leads talk about her and their situation, it’s pretty clear that what she feels is responsibility and regret, not romantic love. She cares, yes, but she’s not “in love” with him anymore.
And honestly, if she didn’t feel any guilt at all, that would have felt way more unrealistic. After everything they went through, after what he sacrificed, she had to feel something. Otherwise she wouldn’t feel human.

Speaking of him, I think the second male lead deserves more understanding than he usually gets. However he behaves later on, Jiang Cheng is a tragic character. Imagine living for five years surrounded by criminals, constantly at risk, completely cut off from your family and the person you love. He gave up everything, his name, his life, even his reputation, just to complete his mission. That kind of life changes a person. So when he comes back expecting things to still hold meaning, it’s not that surprising. It’s not right either, but it makes sense.

On the other side, Jiang Hansheng isn’t as simple as people make him out to be either. Yes, he’s easy to sympathize with, especially because of how deeply he loves her, but he always knew he wasn’t her first choice. He saw an opening and went for it. He chose to fight for her, even knowing the situation. And while he’s not toxic, there is a certain persistence, even a bit of manipulation in how he holds onto her. But it never feels malicious. It just feels… human.

That’s kind of what I liked about this drama. No one is completely right or completely wrong. It really comes down to timing, choices, and emotions. Sometimes love is not about who is better, it’s about who you end up choosing and why.

The ML himself is deeply in love, almost painfully so. His love can feel a bit obsessive at times, but it’s also very sincere. He’s not expressive in a typical way, he’s more controlled and reserved, but you can feel everything underneath that surface. And his dynamic with the villain was honestly one of the more engaging parts of the show.

The romance here is not fluffy or overly dramatic. It’s quiet and built through small moments. Their marriage doesn’t start with love, but it slowly grows into something stable and real. I do wish we got more of that development though. It felt like some of their moments were missing or cut, especially when it comes to showing how they actually fell for each other. Still, once they get past everything, their relationship feels strong and earned.

The villain was actually really good. Properly unsettling at times. I do think the direction could have made things more intense.

One of my favorite parts of the drama was the ML’s relationship with Professor Wang. It felt so genuine and comforting. It added a softer side to his character and gave the story some emotional warmth in between all the tension.

Lastly, the acting. Overall, everyone did a good job.

I especially want to highlight Jiang Hansheng (ML) and Qi Yan. Jiang Hansheng’s calm, emotionless face that suddenly shifts into shock or emotional breakdown was very well done. That controlled but unstable emotional acting really stood out.
Qi Yan was also very impressive. Every scene he appeared in felt intense. He was unsettling but also interesting to watch, and he portrayed a very damaged, twisted mindset really well.

Jiang Cheng also performed well. You can clearly feel his inner conflict between two different sides, even in his quiet moments.
The female lead also did a good job. Her role is simpler compared to the others, but she handled emotional and confused moments very naturally.

Overall, the whole cast stayed consistent with their characters. No one felt out of place, and that helped the story feel more grounded and believable.

Overall, this isn’t a perfect drama, but it’s a solid one. It’s more about emotions and psychology than romance, and it doesn’t try to spoon-feed everything to you. If you’re going in expecting a light love story, this is not it. But if you’re okay with a slower pace, morally grey characters, and a story that focuses on human emotions and choices, it’s definitely worth watching.

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The villains in Rebirth are one of the drama’s greatest strengths—and honestly, one of the reasons the entire story feels so powerful and unforgettable.
What makes them stand out is how they are written not just as antagonists, but as forces of the world itself. They feel like an enormous mountain standing in the path of the main characters—unyielding, suffocating, and almost impossible to overcome. Every cruel decision, every ruthless action they take reinforces how deeply broken and oppressive this world is. Their presence is not just to create conflict, but to constantly remind us what kind of reality the characters are trapped in.
Yes, they do horrible, disturbing, even insane things—and their endings are often just as brutal and painful. But unlike typical “crazy villains,” their darkness doesn’t feel shallow or exaggerated for shock value. The drama takes time to show the roots of their cruelty—the trauma, pressure, and harsh life circumstances that shaped them. You begin to see that they are not born monsters; they are made by the same violent system that continues to produce more people like them. That makes them far more chilling, because they feel real and inevitable.
Compared to more one-dimensional portrayals like the unstable royals in Pursuit of Jade or The Double, where madness often defines the character, Rebirth gives its villains depth and purpose. They are not just unpredictable—they are understandable, even when they are terrifying. And that difference elevates the entire narrative.
More importantly, these villains are deeply tied to the drama’s core theme. They are the embodiment of everything the protagonists are fighting against—slavery, oppression, endless war, and a cycle of fear and suffering. Their existence directly contrasts the dreams of the FL and ML, who long to build a world of freedom, peace, and dignity. This creates a powerful thematic tension: darkness versus light, despair versus hope.
Because the villains are so well-crafted, the heroes shine even brighter. Every step the main characters take toward change feels hard-earned, because they are not just fighting individuals—they are challenging an entire system that has been normalized for generations.
In the end, the villains in Rebirth are not just memorable—they are essential. They give weight to the story, depth to the conflict, and meaning to the heroes’ journey. Without them, the drama wouldn’t feel as intense, as emotional, or as impactful.

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