This review may contain spoilers
A jade totally worth pursuing ❤️
What a wonderful joy ride this drama has been, and this is coming from someone who's read the novel multiple times and is able to make the comparison between the drama and novel.I'll start with the visuals and the cinematography, I'm just in awe of how amazing this director is with his craft. As a fan of Blossom, I knew his cinematography would not disappoint, but dang, he seriously up an entire level with POJ. Every scene, frame, and transition is with thought and purpose. His style of filming, especially during the first arc of the village life really made me feel like I'm immersed in their world. The glimpses we get of people's lives in the village, really gave off a sense of authenticity and tranquility and just so captivating. I will continue to follow this directors work for sure!
Casting. I cannot emphasize how perfectly casted to have ZLH and TXW as the cold but handsome marquis and the sweet, whimsical, straight forward, no BS, and strong butcher girl, respectively. To not only have 2 visually stunning actors take the lead but also matching the novel's descriptions of them both, is simply peak casting!!! ts almost like the characters were written with them in mind. I'm curious if the author had a say in the casting 🤔. TXW really stands out from start to finish, she carried out this role exceptionally well and has definitely lived up to the character of Changyu. TXW's emotionally range and versatility is something we don't see in most Cdramas. Bravo my girl! ⭐️⭐️
POJ has had the best overall casting that I've seen in a long time, aside from ZLH and TXW , all the supporting characters, even the child star has had their spotlight moments, every actor/actresses carried out such memorable performances. I'm confident to say that this drama has given a much needed career boost for alot these talented actors.
As for the storyline and plot, I would say the drama follows about 60-70% of the drama at most. In the beginning it appears the drama was choosing to faithfully follow the novel, besides the early development of Changyu and Xie Zheng's relationship in the village (a very welcome change 🤭), everything else was pretty much on par with the novel's progression in the first arc. Honestly, I think the first arc up to when they reunited at the camp was just excellently done 👌, the pacing and development was so engaging. Unfortunately, it is when they hit the military and Changyu's general arc that it started deviating from the novel and while I don't mind some of these changes, in fact, I even enjoyed some of them, I just felt there were certain parts they should've been faithful to: an example is when they changed the part where Xie Zheng chooses to break up with Changyu after finding out about her family, how he torments himself physically and mentally, and then goes chasing to be with her after accepting punishment. This was such a emotionally powerful arc that was not portrayed on screen and its such a missed opportunity cause ZLH would've slayed it. 😢 Another scene I would loved to see on screen is their official wedding, it was such a symbolic ending to the novel as the leads started with a fake marriage and ends up falling in love, going through thick and thin, preservere and finally having their happily ever after. A full circle moment. ❤️
Last but not least, our CP 😍🔥🔥🔥🔥. Seriously don't even know where to start as I'm sooo obsessed with their chemistry!! Even a glance at each other is making my toes curl - yes, big credit goes to the director for his emotionally impactful direction, but like I said before, there is only so much that camera angles and filters can help with bringing out the chemistry, the leads' acting is as equally as important as the director's artistic vision. ZLH and TXW has elevated the level of chemistry in Cdrama and will be hard to match for me. I'm really praying for a second collaboration between this two !!! 🔥🔥🔥😭😭
This is definitely one that I will re-watch ♾️!!!! 😭⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Hilgy recommended
This series liked it so muchAnd I rewatch it more than once .
Beautiful actors ; have beautiful chemistry between them .
I liked the story of the series
I liked the acting ; the script ; the dialogue ...
Really this series is so beautiful in all catogeries
I enjoyed it a lot and for gl fans I highly recommended ..
I'm thinking to watch it for the forth time 😁😁
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Started off well until it stopped making sense
The production quality is great and the acting is above average so far. The pacing of the story is going well and is actually quite interesting. So why am I dropping this so early on? Because the entirety the plot is meant to be around the FL and ML - and the character of the FL is making less and less sense.The FL was quite charming initially but they built up the relationship between the two far too quickly and she gets away with too much. It stopped making sense when she suddenly starts acting incredibly arrogant in front of the princess when she only just met her. Then she feels comfortable throwing tantrums in front of the ML despite his "reputation" and not knowing anything about him. The Queen kills a maid for touching her candle yet the FL has no repercussions for setting her dress on fire? And she sneaks out of the mourning hall just like that without anyone trying to stop her? Despite her not wanting to die but yet acting with such shameless fervor and not actually even being intelligent about it... just killed her character for me. When the little prince dies, she has no empathetic reaction to it despite having met him. Then approaches the ML and just quite simply asks him if he's the culprit? They severely emphasized how easily people are killed for nothing but the FL just happens to get away with this narcissism? Having experienced being a concubine previously, one would think that she would know to at least pretend to be humble.
It's a shame because it has nothing to do with the actors but rather the character they are trying to paint. If they wanted it to be humorously believable, then they should have just gone that route fully instead of the very somber setting for the first impression.
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wishes, regrets and love
Overall: this series got me in the feels several times. 12 episodes about 35 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala, https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/6336/wishing-upon-the-shooting-star-2026-e01 (not available in Japan, Taiwan or Korea); Viki https://www.viki.com/tv/41438c-wishing-upon-the-shooting-stars#about and Youku https://www.youku.tv/v/v_show/id_XNjUxNzIyOTU1Ng==.html ; and iQIYI https://www.iq.com/album/wishing-upon-the-shooting-stars-2026-1ytj5n9hiid?lang=en_usContent Warning: I'm not sure what it exactly was (update: attempted suicide, it was complicated), you can start episode 1 at 1m5s to skip it and then start episode 12 at 17:45, beaten up/fight/punches
What I Liked
- ocean side, small-town vibe
- supportive uncle
- some mystery
- a character who was forthright at the end of episode 2
- intimacy
- the fortune teller like woman/author had a very unique style that we rarely see in media
Room For Improvement
- I was a bit confused who the two characters were in the flashback but I did get it figured out
- episode 6 was too delayed to show what the deal was in the past
- didn't make sense why he would agree to pay that giant fine
- cliche female character in the past
- in the finale they tried to do too much with the scifi/fantasy element and it felt corny
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Totally worth my time
I personally didn't quite really enjoyed the ending, so i really hope that they have the 2nd season in plan. Overall, its a matter of taste and preferences. The acting was really good, the casting did a really good job because i cannot imagine someone else playing those 2 specific characters - Kim Nam Gil is just the perfect actor to play characters with sad/traumatic background. Can definitely say that i related to the anger issues thing. The plot itself was rushed, even if i enjoyed the story as a whole. Too bad it had only 10 episodes.P. S. the main characters were GAY for each other.
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This review may contain spoilers
Sirens Kiss is one of those dramas that immediately pulls you in and keeps you constantly questioning what’s going to happen next. Every episode leaves you thinking, analyzing, and honestly… a little obsessed. It has that addictive quality where you just need to know what’s coming, even when the story starts to feel unpredictable.One of the biggest highlights for me is Wi Ha-joon. He’s already one of my favorite Korean actors, but this role really shows how dedicated he is to his craft. I know some people have said his character can come off as intense or even “too much,” but he actually mentioned in interviews that this is how real SIU workers can be. Knowing that makes his performance feel even more authentic. You can tell he really did his research, and it shows in every scene—his presence is strong, controlled, and completely captivating.
And then there’s the chemistry between him and Park Min-young… it’s honestly magnetic. The best way to describe it is exactly how they said in their Jenga Q&A—it’s like a push and pull. They drift apart, but somehow always find their way back into each other’s space. It’s not just about physical closeness; it’s in the way they look at each other, the tension, the emotions. Their chemistry feels deeper than just “skinship”—it’s emotional, intense, and very real.
The OST is another thing that really stood out to me. Every song fits perfectly with the scenes, enhancing the emotions and making moments feel even more powerful. It’s one of those soundtracks where you hear a song and immediately think of a specific scene—that’s how well it’s done.
Visually, the drama is stunning. The cinematography is absolutely beautiful and adds so much to the overall mood of the story. Every frame feels intentional, almost like you’re watching a piece of art rather than just a show.
That being said, the drama isn’t perfect—and that’s okay. The chairwoman’s storyline, for example, can feel a bit all over the place at times. It left me confused in certain moments, but at the same time, it made me even more suspicious of her character, which I think might have been intentional. The plot overall can also shift quickly—from light, funny scenes to serious, intense moments—which might feel inconsistent to some viewers. But for me, it adds to the unpredictability of the show.
What really makes Sirens Kiss special to me is how rewatchable it is. I can go back to it again and again and still feel the same emotions—but not only that, every time I rewatch it, I notice something new. There are little hidden details and clues that you don’t always catch the first time, which makes you think even more deeply about the story. It’s like what the director mentioned—there are layers to this drama, and the more you watch, the more you start to piece things together.
I originally started watching it because of Wi Ha-joon, but through this drama, Park Min-young has easily become one of my favorite actresses too. Both of them portray emotion so well—you can literally feel what their characters are going through just by the way they look at each other.
I also want to mention something people have been talking about—Park Min-young’s weight loss. From what’s been shared, she lost weight to fully immerse herself into her character, who lives on water and alcohol. That level of dedication really shows how passionate she is about acting and bringing authenticity to her roles.
Overall, I know this drama has mixed opinions, and I completely understand why. It’s not perfectly structured, and it can feel chaotic at times. But for me, that’s part of its charm. Sirens Kiss is emotional, unpredictable, visually stunning, and carried by incredible performances and chemistry that truly stands out.
I’ve been waiting for this drama for a long time and I can’t believe it’s about to end. Just 4 more episodes left and I really really hope we see more chemistry with Wi Ha-Joon and Park Min-Young they deserve such a happy ending because they’ve been through so much.
And honestly… I’ll keep rewatching it 🤍
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Awesome NPC and Touching Cases
As this is the first season, it's inevitable that some stuff did not flow well since everything was still experimental.The ladies (detectives) weren't as immersive enough at times. Asides from that, I like that they don't give up in the face of challenges.
The NPC really made this show shine! Their acting was convincing. The events/cases were interesting and touching as well.
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Beautiful Start But Rocky End
To be honest, I was very conflicted about rating this drama. I absolutely loved the first 30 or so episodes but really felt that the quality of the plot, humour, and pacing of the later episodes to be completely different from the earlier ones. What was initially a captivating and heartfelt plot became shallow and (badly) comedic.As for the characters...
Listen, I loved the FL. I loved her love for everyone around her, her strength and her compassion. I thought TXW did a great job in her fight scenes - I was convinced she was powerful and she looked every part the soldier. However, I was still not convinced in her presence as a commanding general. I would have loved some sort of montage to actually show her actually living towards this role and title but it just seemed like one day everyone was just falling over her with no real obstacles in the way. However, this is in no part TXW's fault, who I thought absolutely carried this drama, especially during the emotional scenes.
The ML felt more like a complement to the FL, which I have no problems with because this seems to mostly be a FL-centric drama but this also meant I had no emotional attachment to the ML as a person. I did love both of them and their chemistry together but as the plot progressed, I felt they were being overshadowed by the SFL and SML by both relationship development and chemistry.
If I could rate this in parts, I would probably have it as 9.5/10 for the first 30, and 8.5/10 for the last 10. In the end, I settled for something in the middle because despite its shortcomings in the later episodes, I did really enjoy and love everything else, from the production to the acting.
Also, bonus points to the makeup and costume for this drama because while ZLH is a very handsome man, this was 100% his best looking drama to date and I have to admit that my shallow ass would have started watching this just for him and TXW's visuals alone.
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Visually Stunning Story of Love, War & Secrets
Appearances are deceiving in this tale of love and revenge that unfolds during wartime. None of the main characters are quite what they seem to be at face value, including the heroes of our story: Fan Chang Yu, a petite girl with a lovely face who works as a butcher and has exceptional physical strength, and Yan Zheng, a nobleman in disguise whose scholarly gentleness conceals a hidden dangerous edge and sometimes sharp temper. Their marriage of convenience forms the backdrop for their journey to untangle a web of political schemes, family secrets, and complicated relationships.Tian Xi Wei as Fan Chang Yu strikes a believable balance between fierceness and femininity. She’s a “strong female character” (though I dislike that term) that’s also likable, something that many series struggle to get right. I liked TXW as the female lead in the 2022 historical drama “New Life Begins,” but her role here is much richer and more layered, and she delivers a fine performance as a character whose larger-than-life qualities are balanced out by a sweet personality, strong principles, and moments of vulnerability.
As with the female lead, there’s more to Zhang Ling He’s male lead than his refined appearance and manner. As Yan Zheng — a war refugee rescued by Chang Yu — he’s loyal, compassionate, and supportive. But when his hidden skills and reflexes come out to play — throwing unseen stones to cripple an evildoer, breaking a chopstick or teacup to use as an impromptu weapon — it’s clear his identity isn’t a simple one.
ZLH often plays gentle characters (and does it well with that tender gaze of his), but I didn’t expect that he would be so convincing in a warlord type of role. However, he inhabits the role with sensitivity and charisma as his character grapples with conflicting sides of his personality and identity — the warm and quietly protective Yan Zheng versus the cold and commanding Marquis Xie Zheng.
It seems that only Chang Yu (and her adorable little sister) can unlock this gentler side of him, and their romance is slow and sweet at the beginning, with lots of stolen glances and lingering looks. It gradually builds into unspoken feelings and, strengthened by shared hardship, becomes an unbreakable bond that survives war and separation. Their romance is not the primary plot focus, but their devotion and unconditional support for each other shine through in small moments throughout the story.
Aside from the leads, every character is complex, even the villains. Deng Kai in particular has a standout role as one of the antagonists, a prince whose elegant appearance hides a dark past and a disregard for human life. It’s fascinating watching him grapple with his inner demons, and you know an actor is doing a good job when you can’t help but feel compassion for a deeply flawed, contemptible character.
While the cast is exceptional, it’s the gorgeous cinematography that drew me in first. The visual style is cinematic, even painterly, with soft colors and natural, diffused lighting. The director really knows how to make his subjects — both people and sets — look stunning. Even the villains and violence are beautiful. However, while the fighting is bloodier than your typical costume drama, war and killing aren’t glamorized.
To sum up, “Pursuit of Jade” is a feast for the eyes, with beautiful costumes, styling, and scenery. The story itself isn’t unique, and the political intrigue and allegiances are confusing in places, but the cast and cinematography elevate this drama to another level. It’s the best historical drama I’ve seen since “Prisoner of Beauty” (2025), and worth watching if only to appreciate the visual craftsmanship.
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Slowburn drama that’s so slow it forgets where it’s headed
Our Generation is a slow-burn character study about youth — first crushes, academic pressure, and the awkward stretch from small-town innocence into the messier world of adulthood. At its core Our Generation is a collection of realistic moments of how childhood memories can grow into something that transcends time and distance.The best part
Zhang Linghe as aloof math genius Jiang Qiaoxi, is why you want to see this. I’ve been following him since Love Between Fairy and Devil, but this is the first contemporary drama of his I’ve watched. (I know I know there’s The Best Thing). He’s extremely talented — while he shines in idol and costume dramas, his subtle performance here is a real standout and feels different from his more popular roles. I liked that the creators didn’t just throw his “face card” at us to distract from character development. He isn’t scared to be shown in an unflattering light here. And I respect an actor with entire image built on his looks attempting to do something different for a change. And that honesty might be the best part of the drama, that tired, beaten down young man in Hong Kong stretch of episodes. If for nothing else (and there is truly nothing else), the drama is probably worth watching for Zhang Linghe’s performance alone.
Zhao Jinmai as Yingtao is good, but I’m not a big fan overall. Her performance here doesn’t measure up to her work in The Princess Royal, which I enjoyed much more because she was actually convincing there. In Our Generation there are really great emotional moments where she lands the feelings like a blow, but her overall portrayal as a high school girl didn’t fully convince me and it was a little hard to watch at times. It’s like you can tell it’s a grown woman acting as a little girl. I don’t think she’s cut out for those roles. She has her strengths elsewhere. Still, I like Zhao Jinmai in this drama better than in Shine on Me. Plus the emotional scenes between her and Zhang Linghe when they are both playing adults is where she really packs a mean punch.
There are lot of interesting supporting characters, but this is also the drama’s one of biggest issue. Some supporting roles got a lot of screen time while others felt like they were there just for the sake of having supporting characters. The stories weren’t distributed evenly across the gang. A lot of stories had foundation, but nothing ever came out of that foundation. I wish the drama had either stayed tightly focused on the main couple or actually distributed storylines evenly among the whole group.
I liked the family dynamics between in Yingtao and her parents. I liked how they were contrasted with Jiang Qiaoxi’s completely opposite family dynamics to showcase why he is the way he is. It’s an understanding and loving family against a dysfunctional family that doesn’t remember what it means to be a family. Still I wish they showed his parents at the end asking for forgiveness, even for a second, especially his mother. There was so much emphasis on her broken relationship with her son at the beginning of the drama that it felt strange not to have their story come full circle.
Pacing is the biggest problem
The show has a really strong foundation, but it drags. And I mean it. You can skip through minutes and minutes of dialogue and still not miss anything crucial to the plot. Yes, this is mostly character-driven rather than plot-driven — slice-of-life youth vibes for the most part — but the pacing still hurts the overall impact. Stretching the high-school portion of their lives across so many episodes and leaving only a handful of episodes for their adult reconnection does the story a huge disservice.
The drama does have a great ending — you get butterflies — but the last couple of episodes feel almost like a different drama: faster paced, upbeat, with comic relief we hardly see earlier. That tonal shift is jarring but it does leave you satisfied.
Bottom line
If anything, watch this drama for Zhang Linghe’s performance. I skipped quite a lot, and his acting was the only reason I powered through. There is plot, but it’s paper thin and nothing new and so much screen time could have been just taken out and it wouldn’t affect the plot one bit. The show has real heart and honest moments, but uneven supporting arcs and painfully slow pacing keep it from being great. Still, when it works, it really works — just be ready to grit through long stretches to get there. Or skip. In the end, it’s hard to say if the show is trying to be a youth drama, a family drama or a romance.
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That's not my cup of tea :(
PLOT: Pat, a probationary employee in the Digital Marketing department (purring), is being exploited by his colleagues. Things change with the arrival of the new director, Jeng (the CEO's son), who is known to be incredibly demanding. Jeng will entrust Pat with more and more responsibilities (and help him grow). Jaad, Jeng's younger brother, is a director at an agency and madly in love with Jen (who already has a boyfriend). During a shoot, Pat's ex, Put, who wants to rekindle their romance, reappears.+++ I really like the male lead, Man Trisanu Soranun, who is very convincing as a mature and responsible lover, and Saint Paramee Mahatthanadul.
+++ High-quality direction (except for the pacing)
### But I don't like the MC, Pat, who constantly gives puppy-dog eyes and has a chaotic personality (sometimes hesitant for a long time, sometimes impulsive, often Stupid)
### Very, very romantic Slow-burn
### Slow narration with incongruous changes in character behavior
### The last 3 episodes are completely messy (online scandal, break-up, MC's escape, 2-year hiatus, etc.) and make no sense!
=> I liked the premise, but I couldn't get into the story.
********************************************************
That's not my cup of thea :(
PLOT: Pat, employé au service Marketing digital (ronronnant), à l'essai, est exploité par ses collègues. Les choses changent à l'arrivée du nouveau directeur, Jeng (fils du Pdt) réputé super exigeant. Jeng va confier à Pat de + en + de responsabilités (et le faire grandir). Jaad, jeune frère de Jeng, est réalisateur ds 1 agence, et amoureux fou de Jen (qui a déjà un BF). Lors d'1 tournage, l'ex de Pat, Put, qui veut renouer, revient sur la scène.
+++ J'aime bcp le ML, Man Trisanu Soranun, très convaincant en amoureux mature et responsable, et Saint Paramee Mahatthanadul.
+++ Réalis° de qualité (sauf le rythme)
### Mais je n'aime pas le MC, Pat, qui fait des yeux de Bubulle en permanence, et a 1 caractère chaotique (parfois longuement hésitant, parfois impulsif, souvent stupide)
### Romance très très slow-burn
### Narration lente et avec des changements incongrus ds le comportement des personnages
### 3 derniers épisodes complètement messy (scandale en ligne, break-up, fuite du MC, break de 2 ans, etc.) n'ont pas de sens !
=> J'aimais bien le plot, mais je n'ai pas réussi à accrocher à cette histoire.
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Masterpiece thriller and karma lesson - Wow mess created by amateurs - amazing plot
This drama is a total masterpiece, it is so unique, so twisty wicked, and such excellent acting, and totally totally crazy dark hilarious thriller plot!!!! Never seen anything like this. There is NO WORDS to describe this drama... ! I feel like I got on a rollercoaster and am going at the speed of 200mph to up/down of 1000 ft. I bet bunjee jumping, flying on kites, etc feels like watching this drama!!!!!!The overall message is deep, about karma and choices we make under pressure. ML is an honest hardworking guy who is pushed down and under, and he has to somehow survive - and by chance, he makes some money - and that .... makes him.... well watch and see.
This is an amazing amazing masterpiece drama. So carefully calculated.... with lots of comedic elements but in a very dark way.... with warped warmth... with cover ups and twists.....
It starts by tricking the audience to think that this is some kind of a comedy of absurdity bc the ML is a rather dumb ordinary family man... and his partner in crime is dumb too... and they keep making mistakes that will make you open your jaw and roll your eyes in complete WOW IS THIS LEVEL OF SLOPPY DUMB EVEN POSSIBLE... ??? ..
And it seems like wth a very simple and stupid drama..
So... the audience gets tricked into thinking it is two dumbos ... but .....
wow that was just a bait and a setup... !!!!!!
bc then... the drama pulls the plug under you and the entire background is exposed - and so nothing was as it seems!!!! - and the drama throws you into dust and a into a tornado, as the drama takes a sudden U turn into a high stakes thriller crazy chaos.
And you realize that you had NO idea, that the drama totally duped you, that everything you thought you saw, was incorrect, and that NOTHING was as it seemed... except the ML lol but even him - we do not know enough yet... !!!! Slowly but surely, all kinds of sides of that man show up... ... !!!! Wow... !!!!
And - the most absurd thing is - everything that happened, is actually possible in real life.
SO DO NOT LET YOUR GUARD DOWN,
DO NOT MAKE ANY ASSUMPTIONS,
nothing in this drama is as it seems !!!!!!
it is AMAZING tight script and great acting.
and a complete chaos done by amateurs
The psychological thriller is that characters show their true colors under pressure, and you realize **nobody** is as they seem. WOW brilliant!!!!
The thriller is a group of amateurs causing total mess and destruction and pulling more and more people in, amateurs and professionals
it is like watching a domino effect, or a hurricane gaining power
Maybe a good name for this drama is .. MAD DOMINO EFFECTS? no it does not convey this feeling of total enmeshed unexpected chaos that keeps spreading - as all relationships backfire in most unexpected ways!!!!
The real name of this drama is NOTHING IS AS IT SEEMS SO DONT JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS AT ALL! or... you will be humiliated later :) when all your prejudice and preconcieved notice and blindness will be exposed and you will see how wrong you were
Spoiler hint: the curtain falls and the U-turn into a high stakes thriller happens in Ep 4. By that time, you are too comfortable having a totally wrong opinion of what you are watching :) and the SLAM! hits you even harder :)
Also, the drama is a fantastic social commentary... about an ordinary low-level man's greed.... he wants more, and given a chance, turns into a monster to get it.
I think we are now watching that kind of people in real life as the start of WW3 by bombing Iran etc
Mad Concrete Dreams is the story about ANY hideous thing done by "good people" ...... who were given a chance to do bad and got totally obsessed with greed and kept going. There are so many such examples in real life and world history.......
MCD although it looks "fun" is a super deep insight into human psyche and what happens when you get tempted to abandon the universal principles of good karma aka "moral and ethical principles".
MCD ML is a "good ordinary person" who is a good householder, a good neighbor, a good citizen in general, trying hard by honest means..... and who, given a chance, does monstruous things.
He loves his wife and daughter and is good to his friends and neighbors. So how far does this "love" and "good friend and neighbor" stretch under the right conditions... ? Where is the line between driven to succeed and being overcome by greed and selfishness?
At the end, none of the characters grew much. They grew how much they were capable of.
ML paid for his choices by being left alone without family, friends and supporters.
PS - So if you are going to compare MCD with anything, it has to be something equally deep and meaningful. The only two pieces I could think of, that I watched so far, are Walking on Thin Ice and Dream Life of Mr Kim.
Mad Concrete Dreams is like Mr. Kim Walking on Thin ice... it is a criminal Mr. Kim, with criminal wife
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OMG please stop making vampire stories
If you are going to do a story centered around vampires, please take the time to build up the world. Logically would be nice.The Lore is better than in My Golden Blood, which basically had no lore, but it's all over the place and felt like it was more to make sure everyone got their happy ending than to make actual sense.
First off, the vampire city was called Thaiwilight City, so already we were off to a great start (not). And for some reason in this city, they have a population problem, so no romance! Especially not the gay kind, because for some reason, the older vampires are homophobic even though that would help them with their problem. Couldn't they have come up with a form of birth control?
The vampires are literally humans that grow fangs to drink blood, and have a special city to themselves. You can kill them by breaking their neck. I'm still not convinced they actually live longer. Explain the passing of time, please, because if it does move more slowly, you did a piss poor job of showing it. In the vampire city, 100 years is 3 years in the human world, but when we are going back and forth between the worlds, it's like the passage of time is the same.
A human can become a vampire by either falling in love with a vampire and the vampire bites them, which will then turn that vampire into a human, or by a human who is dying being bitten by a vampire that loves them. A vampire can also become human by biting another vampire they are in love with on the full moon (does it have to be red?). So, for some reason, love is always involved, and it would have been interesting if this had been the reason for the "no love" rule instead of population control.
Why does Phum have a human counterpart? He is from the human world. He was once human before he was tricked into being a vampire, so he should be his own counterpart. I'm still confused on this point. The whole part about that counterpart having to be dead for them to go into their bodies is also very confusing. I mean, it takes the guilt away from them taking over their bodies, but why does it then make their bodies "vampire bodies"? It's an instantaneous process as well, which makes no sense if their bodies are changing at all. If they are "replacing" their human counterparts, you would think they would just be able to enter the human world once the counterpart died without taking over their actual bodies. I'm assuming it was done the way it was so that they all had a human life already set up for them, but it frustrated me throughout the whole show because they never explained how it works!
What was the recipe for the red wine? Nothing in your world makes sense, so don't tease me like this!
As far as comedies go, I did laugh a few times somewhere in the middle of the series, and I honestly don't think this series could have been good if it weren't a comedy. I feel weird saying that about a vampire show.
Frank and Lee have good chemistry. All the actors did a great job; I honestly don't know how some of them kept a straight face while saying some of their lines. I also have a new appreciation for Mod; his acting really stood out to me in this series.
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This review may contain spoilers
Refreshingly Different
A drama that has a ton of romance, a bit of a red flag sweetheart of a ML(which is what I like to see in a ML), lots of lovely kissing and skinship, suspense, lots of action, a mystery that is no obvious until most of the drama is done, a comic book villain, fantastic OST, bromance, friendship and cool technical stuff. The FL was amazing and played both FL's very believably and the second leads were adorable.The acting, directing, locations were super nice and the story was well written and interested, although there were some holes here and there and some episodes were not 100% seamless. But the director would have had to add on a couple of more episodes to made it with no holes. Since I start to get impatient past 16 episode dramas, I am more than happy just as it is and it got a solid 9 1/2 stars from me. Totally recommended!
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Mature and engrossing
No glossy fairy-tale sentimentality here. This series starts as a multifaceted examination of love–showcasing its promise, its challenges, its various manifestations, insecurities, and difficulties.An amazing group of actors show us the pressures, problems, and power games experienced by a group of friends, all young adults, caught up in the ups and downs of romance – and its many complications.
The ML and the FL are both dedicated to discriminating what’s real from what’s bogus–but in different domains. The ML (played by Liu Yuning) specializes in sussing out authentic designer handbags from copies, whereas the FL tests various men to see if their romantic intentions are sincere–or not.
While the ML’s profession is considered reputable, the FL’s methods are a bit sleazy--veering off, at times, into techniques that could reasonably be called entrapment.
As for genuine, long-lasting love–is there any such thing? Or does love eventually deteriorate because of the many unavoidable pitfalls, problems, and contradictions? The drama asks the question, but never really provides an answer.
Edgy and quirky, a variety of experimental techniques mirror the ambiguity of the story telling. For example, indoor scenes are sometimes filmed with a gauzy filter, making it look as if they’re encased in fog
Gao Wei Guang, who plays Old Gong, adds humor and flair. He’s a reckless, creative, and toxic presence in the drama. As it turns out, he’s also someone who has a surprising moral sensitivity and capacity for friendship.
Unfortunately, the last few episodes really drag. For example, one couple’s divorce seem to go on forever. Other couples cycle in and out of their problems a few more times–I stopped caring about who was going to end up with whom.
Also the director completely changes the tone of the last episode–giving the whole drama a weird send off. I much prefer it when the writers choose the ending of the series themselves instead of asking the viewers to figure out what happens.
But altogether a surprising and innovative series.
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