This review may contain spoilers
Xu Kai fans please be kind.....
Sorry this drama is stupid....Both this one and other one airing same time with Ju Jingyi & Chen Zheyuan....
As I said on other review, I get these are popular Chinese video games but making it into 36 episode drama not best idea.... Mario Bros iconic Nintendo game but shocking movie.... Story is too childish, characters acting like they are in kindergarten....
Xu Kai, last year he was amazing.... I loved Snow Eagle Lord & Wonderland of Love.... That is Xu Kai at his best, darker serious cold male lead type.... This version of him warm and childish, sorry doesn't work, go back to your strengths being Wuxia fighting cold male lead, your are the best at that..... I don't blame him, it's obvious character style set for him....
Esther is sweet, beautiful face, lovely smile.... I get you are sweet warm type which does work for you.... There is a line between sweet/warm and just plain annoying, that line has been crossed.... Please steer away from these type of scripts ....
Wan Peng will say very adorable for the 3 episodes I watched.... I can see her doing well as cold female fighting Wuxia type in future dramas similar to Zhao Lusi in Who rules the World ...
Total watched 3 episodes and 5 minutes of E4, I tried, I tried 3 times after dropping it twice about can't force myself anymore..... Not for me.... Just don't like version of characters being played not the actors themselves.... Story seems bit more for younger audience....
Please be nice, just my opinion.... If you are enjoying it ignore my opinions and continue to enjoy.....
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
when breaking up with your ex becomes mission impossible...
[lots of spoilers here]I saw a comment underneath one of the episodes that perfectly sums up everything you need to know about this drama: "it's as if they(leads) live in a pool with piranhas, everyone around them bites a piece of their heart"
My anticipation for this drama was high and I could not wait to finally binge it but a mere few episodes in I was already questioning my time spent sitting in front of the TV.
I like risque dramas, give me complex characters that make poor decisions out of their willful heart and melodramatic back and forths... yet all IKILY made me feel was "hmm..." and "interesting..." - but not the good kind of interesting.
But first the positive: THE best thing about this drama are the CATS! This is the first time I actually saw cats looking super happy on screen, constantly demanding pets and cuddles. Totally adorable!
Visually the drama is pretty too, it’s not dubbed which is very pleasant and the opening OST 我知道我愛你- 韓紅 is very beautiful, low key but pact with emotion. Would have been PERFECT for a historical tragedy drama or Wuxia.
To put it simply, there would be no story had it not been for the absurd EX and every disapproving family member (both her side of the family and her ex's). Those are supposed to be additives yet here it is the main story. Take out everyone but the leads and they would have been together in like 2 episodes - happy ending!
Even for a remake of ONS, it should not be THAT easy. If the entire story of a romantic(!) drama depends on supporting roles to work, it's just not a good story/script.
The ML is very kind, the fact that he fell for someone who was still in a relationship doesn't really fit that but I have to admit I did enjoy parts of their romance especially around ep18-19. The writing between the 2 leads is also quite good. I'd say it's a love story between a guy that is too good for his own good, and a very human, more self centered (but not selfish) FL. A quote by her fits perfectly "I made you a sinner for no reason". Because neither of them would have had to feel bad had she set proper boundaries at any given point.
I tried and tried again to sympathize with Xuo Nuo but it was just impossible to beat the unfavorable script writing.
After the 10th "surprise" phone call from her ex in front of ML I gave up trying to be on her side. Don't get me wrong - I didn't hate her but the whole fun about dramas that involve emotional cheating is trying to justify their feelings and the constant thrill and angst about possibly getting caught. But in the case of this drama it can only be considered emotional cheating because the ex does not accept the break up... had it not been for that the drama would have ended at EP9. But they drag it out sooo much, just to keep the "forbidden" feel of the lead's relationship alive, which makes it feel incredibly forced and draggy. That feeling is only solidified by highly questionable actions and lack of sense regarding Peng Yu An's character.
The big elephant in the room of this drama is her Ex Boyfriend Peng Yu An, who is one awfully written character. At first I thought okay he is just your average douche bag. But then I was like oh okay so he actually does love her in a messed up way? And then back to okay just a jerk and so it goes back and forth. I don't think it's fair to write him off as the cheater because they both did it (emotionally). His interests were business, hers were of the heart kind.
He differs in a way from other similar characters, as he does not accept nor acknowledge the FL breaking up with him in the most delulu way that even a soap opera would not think of. Telling people he will marry her and such. But then going back to tell someone else he will break up with her as she does not fit his family's standards, while also telling her he wants to marry her?? Expressing his dislike for the woman his father chose for him. Then proclaiming his true love for FL again, while also promising his business partner they will marry?? What is going on, haha. Honestly I can understand his dad not taking him seriously in any of his endeavors regarding love.
There are also countless other characters that want to keep apart the leads, but I shouldn't spoil everything...
Again - I feel like I need to defend my stance here because every episode I thought to myself I WANT TO LOVE THIS but I JUST can't :( ... it was always 10% off course in the most annoying way. Where everything started to piss me off a little. Did I end up hate watching? - slightly. But also I don't hate it completely... I did enjoy parts.
ENDING SPOILER
------------------------
Ending was weak but happy. Literally everyone who was nasty af before suddenly accepted reality without even a moment of realization, just straight up "okay this is the finale, let's turn 180 degrees and be happy". The ex's ending to me is neither good nor bad but definitely too short. Initially I thought it was defeat with a bit of hope for his own future (becoming more aware of his own hobbies, breaking free) but now I think he just gave in, he won't care what that woman thinks. He just picked the first common interest and went with it. I highly doubt he actually moved on. And to be quite frank... I don't trust the script writers of this drama would actually be smart enough(in the context of this drama) to write a complex ending for him. He was but a massive plot device.
Some inconsistencies, that aren't really that big of a deal but I still wanted to mention it (spoilers):
- why did everyone look down on him for being a vet? Even he himself said he is "just" a vet. Don't these people know veterinary medicine takes longer to study than human medicine?
- the timeline of his age, their struggles growing up and him becoming a vet doesn't make sense.
- it was early-late winter the entire drama, do they really want to tell us multiple couples fall in love within 3-4 months and marriage is already topic nr1? What's the rush.
- pulling a "the fault in our stars" move for that one couple was cheap. It was wrapped up too fast to actually have an emotional impact. That entire story line was unnecessary and out of place.
- the english OST was a pain after hearing it one too many times each episode. Dreamed about a dream that I just dreamed? Julie, Julie I don't feel good today? Lord have mercy!
Tbh this drama is the kind of backstory quarreling parents of leads in other dramas have... not sure if that is something to aspire.
Ultimately I still gave it a 7/10... why? Because that's pretty much my lowest rating for dramas I finished and didn't hate but rather found disappointing and meh.
Edit a few days later: There is one scene that bugged me a lot and probably influenced my rating. If you are a romance lover or like the leads you might really like this drama. All my ranting in this review goes to say, that this is just my opinion and someone else might love it. HOWEVER here goes the scene near the end that made me very frustrated with the writers:
ML is drunk, sitting at his bed and having a very pitiful look. FL goes into his apartment and sees his ex made him some sobering up tea (note: the ex did not drink with him she just saw him downstairs and brought him to his apartment), she leaves once FL is here and they don't have any quarrel or anything. FL goes to ML bedroom and I thought she would go comfort him... boy I thought wrong. He is in a sorry, close to tear like state and asks her "will you leave me too?" (hinting how a lot of people in his life have left him before). FL, instead of comforting him, asks him twice "what do you mean?" "don't you trust me?"... it was so obviously a vulnerable side of him he showed and also drunk talk but she took it very seriously and instead of comforting him, she got mad and left. GURL WHAT. For all the scenes we saw before, the only logical thing would have been for her to tell him that he doesn't have to fear that and comfort him... as a means to portray some healing... and show a difference compared to the people that actually did leave him. But no she does the exact-opposite. Resulting in a short separation at the end, which was just very unnecessary and forced. I know FL mentioned a few times in this drama that she is not as good as a person as ML and such but that was very out of line. She knew he was drunk and he said so very pitifully... mans just needed comfort. Why take it so seriously? And even if she was so hurt by it... talk it out during the day, don't try and argue with a drunk person when you are sober. end.
Was this review helpful to you?
I would not rewatch this because I find it gruesome. Overall a great watch, I would recommend this to those who like thriller, crime dramas.
Was this review helpful to you?
We lost the plot.
When I saw the trailer for this series I was very excited and of course wanted to watch it. I love how we are getting more gl series but this one really did not hit for me. I saw the potential in the beginning episodes but as we went on it was like the writers stopped caring about the quality of the story and some plot lines made me genuinely angry because they made no sense or were just put in there for the sake of them being there. The plot got increasingly worse as the story went on and that was no different for the finale episode. The finale was a mess and very rushed. If we wanted to squeeze that much content into the last few episodes there should have been more, or we shouldn't of even started those plot lines at all.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Decent cute little watch (if your ignore the last episode)
I absolutely LOVED the first half of the show: the set up, the leads, the build. AND omg the costumes for Yeon Woo - absolutely gorgeous. The story was interesting enough, but I don't think that was the driving point of this drama anyway. I was here for the romance and the cutesy. All in all it was good watch, if you ignore the last episode. A small plot-hole, became a giant one until there was only a question mark left. Honestly, I don't get what even happened there??? (Spoilers: Why did he suddenly die in Joseon, and why couldn't she accept him? Didn't she love her husband in Joseon first? And they are the freaking same person, but then again he in the new age would have been alone. And I seriously thought their goodbye was final, until it suddenly wasn't anymore, I'm just confused) Those things don't make any sense, but I guess I'm going to ignore it, because I love happy endings. Just.... they could've done it better. But I don't care tbh. It wasn't made to become a masterpiece.What I actually appreciated story-wise, was their kinda sloppy executed feminism-movement in Joseon. It's nice to see a woman stand up for her rights, especially because Yeon Woo was already more outspoken and independent at the very beginning. But maybe not that realistic if you think about it, but still nice if you don't take it too seriously (and you definitely shouldn't take this drama too serious).
This is my first Bae In Hyuk drama and I must say, he is cute and has something very charming about him! I fell and immediately started watching Under the Queen Umbrella (which is on it's own an amazing drama - funny enough him and Yoo Sun Ho are brothers there too ahahah).
Lee Se Young has always been a tricky topic for me. For some reason none of her dramas spoke to me EVER, like I wouldn't always know she came out with a new series, but I never liked her projects or her?? But I loved her in here, and I might give her other works a try now!
Was this review helpful to you?
Healthy Queer Friendships, Finally
I watched this after watching many queer stories where the friends truly don't feel like friends so this series was very refreshing. The lesbian friend group being the forefront of the story was amazing, along with the love stories inside of this. This was a short series done correctly. This was such a fun watch and I could see myself rewatching this at least once a week. I would love to see a spin-off of this series between the characters of Yena and Sung Ah. Even though they were very small characters who were truly just on the side, I found their relationship very cute and would love to explore more into their story.Was this review helpful to you?
Slow start but sort of worth it???
So basically it starts off sweet, lovely youthful and describes the fl and ml and their relationship dynamics. as viewers we are left to think that "oh this is another contractual marriage and find true love drama.. how boring". in fact I thought the same until near the end I was like... oh shit it makes sense. it was like a jigsaw puzzle.Oh let's move to the negative, I'm not gonna sugar coat and be brutally honest. I did not like the fl's acting AT ALL. it was very ehhh I don't know how to describe it. as a viewer I could not feel the emotions unless it was an intimate scene. still loved her though as she portrayed that innocent girl vibes very well. the ml had good acting skills, after all acting is mostly about experience and god knows if he has it bc he does show experience. the emotions relayed through each words of his was delivered perfectly. even though the script was sooo cringy for the ml. but someone tell me how come the fl and ml held their "kiss" for so long and felt like a peck. very bad kiss scenes.
The music was very nice, I liked it. as for the characters ffs I wanted to yell at the script writer. why are both the fl and ml cheating and claim to be in love with the other. fl is getting her hand held by another guy and doesn't take it away almost as enjoying it and letting it happen. the ml is no better, he is getting slammed on the couch by a girl and same as the fl, he lets it happen all bc of "guilt".
In conclusion, I recommend watching this if u have spare time. it's short and mid. the start is pretty awful but the end is better. only if it was longer would it be enjoyable.
Was this review helpful to you?
Entertainingly Messy
This show can be summed up by just one word...mess. This isn't necessarily a bad thing because it was very enjoyable. I binged this series so quickly and most episodes didn't disappoint me. The only episode that truly made me think "was this necessary" was episode 12/the finale. I think some choices on the production side took me out at times (esp audio). I wholeheartedly believe this show would have never been as good if it wasn't for the actor's performances. I'm pretty new to Thai bls and quickly fell for some actors. One of these included Khaotung's portrayal of Ray. He portrayed this complicated character who people could either love or hate and not many could have pulled off this character the way he did. Overall enjoyed the show and will probably rewatch it, especially for the growing and complicated relationship between Sand and Ray who were honestly the only couple out of the main 3 I was rooting for.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Sprite, the 'Trojan Horse' of the BL series or the debate around homosexuality in sports (I)
Sprite, the 'Trojan Horse' of the BL series or the debate around homosexuality in sports (I)INTRODUCTION
Produced by Lovemedia Thailand, “Twins”, also known as “Two Bodies, One Heart”, was released on November 3, 2023 and consists of 12 episodes. Starring Sprite and First (a couple formed by actors Frame Ritchanon Sriprasitdacha and Ryan Panya Mcshane, respectively), the series shows a love relationship between two young high-performance athletes who mutually discover their homosexuality and accept it as such.
Although innovative in many ways, “Twins” is actually a fairly conventional love story. However, its strength lies in its elegant simplicity and in making visible topics rarely covered in BL series.
Siwasit Phondongnok and Ball Kanathorn Tabvilai came on board this time to direct the series. Both are renowned Thai directors, the former also a screenwriter and assistant director. His creations include “Night Dream”, “Red Wine in the Dark Night”, “Club Friday Season 8: True Love… or Bond”, “Eclipse”, “609 Bedtime Story”, and the two seasons of “Our Skyy” and “Love Area”, among others.
The progression of the story is spot on. The transition from the protagonist's initial fear and uncertainty as he is forced to leave his comfort zone to have to face an unexpected reality to personal improvement is measured. In the new scenario, the protagonist must quickly connect with strangers and with an unknown sports universe, very demanding and competitive because it is a collective and very popular sport, with a high presence in the media, such as volleyball.
RELATIONSHIP OF THE SERIES WITH OTHER AUDIOVISUALS
Since I read the synopsis, before its premiere, “Twins” reminded me of “Not Me”, the famous 2021 GMMTV series, starring White (Gun Atthaphan Poonsawas) and Sean (Off Jumpol Adulkittiporn). In this BL, the story revolves around White, who receives a call from Tod, a childhood friend, to inform him that his twin, Black, whom he has not seen in years, has been betrayed by one of his companions and He is torn between life and death after receiving a severe beating. This is why White will disguise himself as Black and infiltrate the group of friends to find out who the traitor is, while avoiding being discovered.
The main difference between both series is that “Not Me” includes a political background, the fight for human rights and against discrimination, which still exists, towards LGBT+ people in Thailand, and focuses more on suspense and action, while “Twins” has sports as a background and focuses on romance.
INTERESTING
The interesting thing about the series, in addition to the multiple romances, between these three homosexuals and one heterosexual, is the fact that the protagonist has a twin and will try to prevent anyone from discovering his true identity while he impersonates him.
On the other hand, the audiovisual highlights sports espionage, a very common practice today, when one of the volleyball players will spy for an opposing team by gathering sports strategy data for obvious motivations as old as sport and espionage themselves: information, competitiveness, money. “Twins” also shows the communication and interpersonal relationships between athletes and between them and coaches and managers.
It is also striking that the series aims to make visible harassment in sport, the use of violence, blackmail, threats, verbal and physical aggression between athletes, all favored by social pressure, rivalry between players and teams, emotional stability, the type of competition and its importance and the interests that are involved, topics that are rarely addressed in audiovisual productions, much less in BL.
“Twins” also takes an approach to a health issue with little, if not no, treatment in BL, such as the loss of autonomy and temporary disability, as well as the necessary rehabilitation after an accident. That is to say, the series aims to, and succeeds in, making visible problems that help us raise awareness and rethink these realities.
In my opinion, the most significant thing about the series is the possibility of reopening the debate around the secrecy surrounding homosexuality in sports and the fear of discrimination suffered by athletes from the LGBT+ community if they came out of the closet. Since the first athlete to declare herself homosexual, a woman, the French car racer Hélène Van Zuylen, publicly confirmed having a lesbian relationship with the English poet Renée Vivien, in 1898, many others have followed in her footsteps.
Although homosexuality is illegal in Thailand and homosexual athletes are afraid to identify as such for fear of discrimination and social exclusion, among the international elite there are more and more athletes who have declared their homosexuality after several years of hiding it. However, it is a reality that today the commercial image of those who decide to come out of the closet is revalued by becoming icons for the LGTB+ community and symbols of progress in sport as a stage for the visibility of the group.
PLOT
Zee and Sprite are identical twins who were separated in childhood after their parents divorced. Zee has become the star of a university volleyball team with the support of her mother, while Sprite, a brilliant fighter in a jiu jitsu club, has the support of his father. The unfriendly separation of their parents would lead to the siblings being raised separately, not having a good relationship and each one not knowing about the other's life. The story is told from Sprite's point of view.
The relevant sporting results achieved by Sprite arouse the envy of several of his colleagues in the fight club, who conspire to cause him harm and keep him away from active sports. To do this, they will hire some thugs. Unaware that Sprite has a twin, they confuse the brothers and beat up Zee thinking he is Sprite. Under these circumstances, feeling guilty for having caused collateral damage to his brother, who is in a coma in the hospital, and in response to a request from his mother, who perceives that Zee's life is threatened, Sprite is forced to impersonate his identity until he recovers his health and resumes his place.
His secret mission is to preserve Zee's starting position on the volleyball team with a view to becoming part of the Thai national team, and in the process solve the crime for which his brother's life hangs in the balance. Contributing to the deception will be Salmon (Mimi Ruethaiphat Phatthananapaphangkorn), the coach's assistant, a friend of the twins since childhood and Zee's future love interest.
Zee is a self-centered and antisocial character, lacking ties to others, including his own mother. Self-titled “the key to the team,” he despises everyone equally and is rude to his teammates. The arrival of Sprite, with a completely opposite personality, will initially generate friction. Sprite will immediately sense that his brother enjoys prestige for being a good player, but not popularity. Then, your priority will be to gain everyone's trust, while mastering a sport you have never practiced.
Your primary steps will be aimed at gaining First's friendship, since this is your roommate, and will be the person you will spend the most time with. Being friends with the relevant volleyball player and son of the coach would open the way for him to be friends with others. Also needing to master the dynamics of the game and the rules of volleyball, Sprite understands the need to have someone by his side to train with, but without raising suspicions that he has never actually hit volleyball. His life will change when he falls in love with First.
For his part, First, willing not to interact with an insensitive and arrogant person like Zee, whom he has known since when he was taken by his mother for the first time to a volleyball court, when they were both children, will raise a barrier around him that is difficult to overcome penetrate.
SENTIMENTAL HISTORY
As if it were surrendering a fortified city, in an undeclared war, Sprite would first lay siege to it and then launch all its firepower from the catapults and trebuchets until destroying the strong walls that it could not overcome with kindness and good intentions. Like the Achaean army at the siege of Troy, Sprite would employ battering rams and assault towers in a long-awaited attempt to take the besieged city.
Could the creators have intentionally conceived Sprite as the horse-shaped device used by the Achaeans to enter the Troy of the Homeric poems? I would like to think that they designed the character taking into consideration this mythical creation or, if it existed, the war machine transfigured by the chroniclers' fantasy, introducing an important variation in the myth for the conception of our hero: it would not be a destructive deception.
It would be Jack, Mike, Sam, Deddeaw, Tom, Ko and other talented athletes who would take the spirited wooden steed as a sign of their victory, introduce it inside the walls about to be demolished and take it to the volleyball courts without knowing that inside was hidden a boy willing to love another boy, without foreseeing that instead of a fierce warrior prepared to kill, a young man capable of dying of love would emerge from the hollow ambush.
Thus begins a sexy game of cat and mouse with increasing sexual tension. Sprite would never suspect that his feelings would soon change and that friendship would turn into love. In this way, the old and classic trope of “enemies to friends and friends to lovers” is gradually woven.
Sprite has to alternate volleyball training with his combat sport practices, which he does not give up. Exercising volleyball during the day and jiu jitsu at night exhausts him physically and mentally. On and off the field of play, Zee's coldness and arrogance are quickly overcome by Sprite's simplicity and sociability. Little by little the twin will create strong bonds of friendship, loyalty and camaraderie with the young athletes.
The best moment of each day for Sprite is when he arrives at his bedroom at night. Despite being tired after endless training sessions, he seeks to create a deep connection with First. He always receives a cordial and friendly “Zee” with suspicion. This will make him doubt why his roommate is acting so strange. “Has Zee gone crazy or have they changed people?” First would surely think on more than one occasion.
Step by step, Sprite will get closer to First, break the ice and end up falling in love with him. Both will discover love for the first time in their short lives. Although Sprite was always the one to initiate the flirting, it will be First who first confesses to being in love when he assures him that he didn't know when he started having feelings for him, but it bothered him when Sprite was around other people. “Is it jealousy? “Does this mean I like you?” he will ask you point-blank.
However, First will frequently be plagued by uncertainty as to whether Sprite really loves him or is playing with his feelings, since on several occasions he observes him in a romantic attitude with Salmon, unaware that the person who is interacting with the girl at that time is the real Zee. This will cause jealousy and misunderstandings, fueled by Sprite's inability to still recognize who he really is. Their relationship becomes tense, suffocating at times. The love between them will also be put to the test, towards the end, with the arrival of a friend of First, who has secretly been in love and intends to win him over.
Once Zee has recovered, Sprite will ask him to allow him to continue impersonating him for a while longer. When asked why, Sprite will confess to his brother and Salmon that the reason is having fallen in love with First and wanting to stay by her side to get to know each other better.
What many BL fans will like about the sexy series that doesn't shy away from showing passion and bare torsos, are the sizzling relationship scenes. You will be pleased to know that the two main actors, with well-sculpted bodies, have numerous passionate exchanges whether in the bedroom, on the volleyball court, the dining room or the hallways of the building, secretly, although in view of others.
Their kisses and looks are passionate; and their sexy interactions are highlighted with a refined cinematic style. Every time they kiss, look into each other's eyes, touch each other's bodies or make love, there is an elegant atmosphere that creates an intimate and pleasant atmosphere. The stage is not broken even in the moments of greatest hostility. The sexual tension that surrounds the boys is vivid, palpable, and demonstrates the chemistry between the characters.
These performers feel very comfortable with each other, immersing themselves in the physical relationship in a sensual and aggressive way. The artists do a convincing job and make their attraction seem authentic.
Frame does a plausible job of showing multiple emotions from the first to the last scene, from a contemplative look to one of surprise, from suppressed anguish to the euphoric cry of triumph, from hesitation to complete self-confidence, from a cute sulking to an expression of placidity, from the pose of an innocent person to that of an aggressive appearance, from the confusion of a frightened fawn to the attitude of a lion ready to devour its prey. That says a lot about his acting ability.
However, in my opinion, the character played by Ryan is the most adorable of all. Behind his taciturn, doubtful, desolate appearance most of the time, first because he cannot understand the behavior of the boy he believes is Zee, and then because he thinks that the person he loves is playing with his feelings, there is an immense honest human being, loving, hopeful, principled, true to himself and others, especially Zee.
OTHER HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS
Sam (Team Tatchanon Thongpao), the team's libero, has been secretly in love with Zee for years. The Zee now before him disturbs and confuses him. He can't understand it. He will soon understand that he has no hope, as he is the only one to realize that Sprite loves First. Pursuing him, Sam will meet Thun (Pooh Phiangphor), Sprite's best friend and fight club partner. Thun will fall in love at first sight with Sam and his feelings will end up being reciprocated. Consoling Sam from his disappointment in love is the strategy used to get closer to him. The couple provides humor. Will the couple be able to reach port happily? Will Thurn manage to get out of the pedestrian accident? Will the traffic incident catch Sprite's attention and make him return to find his friends?
Another homosexual relationship is that of Jack and Mike (played by Tuss Thotsawat Sing-uppo and Ten Apivit Ueamahasopa, respectively). This is the only romantic couple on the team upon Sprite's arrival. The romance they live is not exploited to the fullest. There is constant tension between the two boys without the reason for this being clearly explained, and their characters lack development and time on screen. Their love affair is only shown in sporadic sexual dalliances. Will Jack's dreams of deepening the relationship come true or, on the contrary, will it remain the same as it has been until now, as Mike suggests?
AS AN EPILOGUE
Towards the conclusion of the series, the viewer's fatigue is noticeable due to the delay in Sprite revealing his true identity to First and putting an end to mistrust once and for all. The creators overlong the suspense caused by the crime and the resulting lie, since it is assumed that the deception will be revealed once it is discovered who hit Zee and the danger is then eliminated, but he fails to advance the investigation for much of the story. series, dedicated at the last minute to pursuing Salmon. She will be in charge of discovering how to unmask the culprits.
Perhaps two fewer episodes would have given the possibility of reaching the climax sooner and would have been useful to round out the story with more nuances, add depth to the events and the development of the characters.
However, I commend Sprite for sticking to his moral convictions and keeping the fraud a secret until the right time to reveal it. His character would have seemed pathetic if, out of love for First or a quick return to his favorite sport or fear of the ruse being discovered, he had unmasked himself when his mission was not yet finished. I'm glad Sprite stood up for his principles, even when it could ruin his love relationship and inner peace. I respect and admire the never-die spirit of his character.
The truth will cause the wall that previously separated the two to rise once again in front of Sprite and First, who were always positioned on the same side of the playing field.
Will Sprite manage to accomplish his secret mission? What will happen to Sprite and First's relationship when the latter discovers that the person he loves has cheated on him? Will the two be able to stand again on the same side of the volleyball field or will they have to content themselves with looking at each other, as rivals, each from the opposite area, through a rectangular mesh one meter wide by 9.50 meters long located 2 10 meters high? Will the 'Trojan Horse' manage to penetrate and conquer the fortified wall again?
Was this review helpful to you?
this is such an underrated j-drama.
I was so excited when I saw this series that I finished it in less than 24 hours. I enjoyed every second. I'm not exaggerating. The rollercoaster of emotions I experienced while watching it was an extraordinary experience, which I usually don't expect from series of this style.I really connected with the characters, I had butterflies in my stomach every time they interacted with each other.
This series is an absolute masterpiece!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Was this review helpful to you?
Some people were disappointed by the ending, but in my opinion it was very fitting. It was obvious what road XS was going take as the show reminds us repeatedly what kind of person he looked up to and what he had always wanted to do with his life. I feel like if he'd chosen differently it would've gone against the entire spirit of the show.
Was this review helpful to you?
a powerful journey for redemption
I started this show on a complete whim not knowing anything about it but it ended up taking my breath away. I could not stop watching it and ended up binging it for two days with very little sleep. But each episode left me wanting to see what happened next and on more than one occasion it left me in a puddle of my own tears. Such a well thought out drama about transmigration/ going back in time. Every character worked in this drama since they are all developed and multifaceted. Their motives and moves all make sense as the plot plunges forward. The pacing kept me from being able to turn it off with never a dull moment.The two leads did a fantastic job and I could feel the chemistry between them. What really sent these two over the top is their emotive acting in their eyes. The story is by far more about redemption for the main character and the love line takes a side seat as you watch Hua Qian make different choices to change her fate. You see her become a kind and generous woman while remaining strong and stubborn.
The only thing that takes points away from this drama for me is the slower pacing in the last few episodes and the ending. It makes sense and worked in teaching a lesson to the viewer but also in a way it feels like it invalidates your emotions as the viewer having watched and been emotionally involved in storyline. It also fails to give enough explainations to satisy all of the 'whys' I have about it so the ending is not ver satisfactory. I almost feel like it would have ended better at episode 26. Still I will probably talk about this drama for a while for its mere impact it had on me emotionally. I love any drama that can bring out enough emotion in me to make me actually cry. Very well shot, produced, and acted. Two thumbs up. Just start watching it and I promise you wont be able to stop.
One note is on Mu Yua. I do not know if it was the actress or the way the character was written but she was the weakest performance. I never once understood how she could have been so well liked in the previous life nor did I feel any chemistry between her and YeLan. The story tells you that they love each other but is very weak in the reasonings and the lack of chemistry makes it hard to believe so I had a very hard time understanding why in the end her chose her and not Hua Qian.
Was this review helpful to you?
idk
the show was kinda good, this was a good idea to make a show based on the webtoon with the application etc.. also some people are bi, i loved this.but you CAN'T find the 3 last episodes with subtitles. so you will never know the end of the game, who wins, who ended up together as a couple, how they get along together, the games etc... which is kinda sad and frustating, i loved to watch it but this ruined a lil bit the joy. the 3 last episodes are nowhere to be found with subtitles. ( english ones )
Was this review helpful to you?
Not deep, just a good time.
This is a very enjoyable series if you're looking to turn your brain off and just have a good time, and I mean this in a positive way. I honestly enjoyed it a lot just vibing along and not taking the plot too seriously.In terms of technical things like story/cinematography/script/editing/etc. it's extremely average (not terrible, I've definitely seen worse). If you're in here expecting something fresh or groundbreaking, you will be disappointed.
For me the enjoyment comes mainly from the 3 main characters (Yan Dan, Ying Yuan, Yu Mo). All 3 roles were well acted, I didn't find their characters annoying (yes, Yang Zi has played very similar roles before, but honestly she's quite good at it), and their interactions with each other are super fun to watch, especially when they are in the human realm and all kinds of shenanigans are happening. Even though both men are in love with the same woman they don't let that get in the way of working together or make things difficult for the FL. The FL also doesn't cause unnecessary drama that break up their 3-person team. It's clear by the end of the drama that their camaraderie is a core part of the drama that the writing team purposely kept intact to the very end.
As for the romance, the main romance (Ying Yuan and Yan Dan) is nothing to write home about story-wise, but very enjoyable because the actors are charismatic and good at what they do, and they look great doing it. I highly recommend fans of Yang Zi and/or Cheng Yi watch this because they're just a joy to watch (especially fans of Cheng Yi because it's fascinating seeing him play 3 characters in one show).
Was this review helpful to you?
The Slipperiest Time Slip!
This drama turned out to be a reverse harem in disguise. A handful of princes with varied flavors happened to meet a mentally handicapped girl to start their quest of hunting this wild female from a different timeline. All of these princes have the edgiest troubled teens behaviors with a mix of daddy/mommy issues. Out of all of them, the male lead took the edge in being the ultimate dark and mysterious bad boy, literally. Zooming out, all of this was done for a trail of pathetic emotional baits with no substance, they were begging the viewers for pity points. The moment the female lead knew about them, she approached every single one with the mentality of "I can fix him". While the princes were intentionally irrecoverably broken by the writer to serve a purpose for the female lead, she equally had her own set of problems. Within the span of a few episodes she became weirdly too attached to all of them and going even further to offer sacrifices, while neglecting her brief arrival and the fact that she was transferred to the past, but I guess shirtless bois are irresistible. The romantic entanglements in general were agonizing to tolerate, it kept you wishing the worse for all of them. Although it was bad as is, but why did they decide to make it worse with each passing episode in the second half? It's just too painful knowing the writer is making fun of us. At least the cinematography was okay and I watched it on BluRay.Was this review helpful to you?
Recent Discussions
-
Xiang Liu and Xiao Yao’s Story and Romance18 minutes ago -
-
ABOUT LONG LOVESICKNESS "YAOLIU"❤️❤️1 hour ago -
Last Japanese song you listened to? #22 hours ago -
What was the last anime you completed?2 hours ago
