Reviews

UGH

This is like The Emperor's New Clothes. Like why is everyone praising this show? I would love to know what stood out so magnificently from this that everyone is throwing up their guts praising this. This show is probably one of the most pointless drivel I have watched since I started watching Kdramas. The only reason this isn't a 0 out of 10 stars is that: 1) Production was good, 2) The character of Death was okay, and 3) Episode 4 was actually good.

Summary: Dude kills himself. Get punished to die 12 times again. But he's given the chance to try and save himself and live as that body. Then he proceeds to be an idiot 12 times in a row. 12 times is not enough. This dude should just be punished to die over and over for eternity. How is he so stupid and selfish and annoying and-

Plot: The premise is interesting but the execution is so far from good that it makes the premise sound stupid too. There's no proper stake here. You would think eternal damnation vs. a chance to reinvent yourself would be such a simple and driven goal, right? Wrong! Because the main character makes no move to actually save himself. The lives are too short, too so you end up not really connecting with any of these characters. What we learn about them is thrown at us as exposition in little montages. That is just unimpressive. The relationships that could be invested in like the girlfriend and the mother are not there long enough for it to go anywhere. The personalities are disjointed, especially in case of male lead who first comes across as a simple and dejected young man but through out the reincarnations or whatever you call it, he's just a greedy, pathetic, selfish loser who wastes every chance he's given, never tries to guard the precious lives in his hands and instead focuses on power trips he was denied in his first life and money. Why would you root for such a character? A jerk. And the reincarnations aren't better either. With the exception of the the kids and the last one, the others are just nothing characters. Bland. I couldn't care about any plot point because all I was focused on was saving these lives and this dude was into everything but that. That's a dissonance between what drives the character and what you as a viewer want from this show. As a result, it was a dissatisfying watch with very very VERY annoying beats. Plus, most of the show is just focused on nonsensical, sensationalized fight scenes or special affects moments which while impressive as a production fact, didn't really add flesh to this flimsy plot. Episode 4 was slightly better but having watched episode five since then, I know that the show did nothing with what was built in that episode so the potential for any character development was wasted away too. Making even that one good episode feel like a pointless blip.

Acting: This show is stacked with heavy weight actors. What a waste!

Music and production: Music was, I don't know, okay? The production value is very high. But this is a classic case of sacrificing substance for technicalities. The show is made with high technological value but what's the point of all that pomp and ceremony when the plot is nonsense and weak?

Rewatch value: None

Negatives: Everything.

Overall: I don't know, if you liked this, we probably have vastly different taste and could never recommend anything to each other. I hated this. Awful. Horrible.

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MUST WATCH if you haven't already!

I am extremely late to the party because I have been missing out so much!! I finally got the chance to watch MoD and let me tell you that I regret so much not watching this sooner. The plot, the acting, the pacing, everything is excellent.

I will admit that going into the show, I did look up a few spoilers which I know ruins the whole experience BUT, I am an EXTREMELY emotional person and I DO NOT like surprises that can possibly lead to hyper-emotional episodes. anyway, I knew that someone named Rung is the worst person alive and the one behind everything. And even after knowing the spoiler, the way everything was done and revealed episode by episode was absolutely amazing.

Max and Tul's chemistry was so adorable. I love that they didn't completely change their entire personalities after getting together like what happens in most thai BLs. They were adults and they acted like adults, which was very refreshing and appreciated.

The only complain I have is the lighting and color grading of the show. Many times the scenes felt and looked too dull. It needed more brightness. I understand that they could have been trying to set a gloomy or foreboding mood but it did not hit at all. though that is the only complain I have.

In the end, I would HIGHLY recommend watching the show because it's a full package. If you, like me, are late to this particular show but have kept up with other newer BLs, than this has lowkey Laws of Attraction vibes and you will absolutely fall in love with the characters. Especially Inspector M, I see you Mr. Tight Shirts 👀

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Strange but worth it.

This drama asked me to suspend my disbelief, and in return, it gave me characters that I came to love and an emotional life lesson about love, anger, loneliness and grief. I appreciate the underlying message that we can destroy each other but also save each other. The acting was superb, and the script was the perfect balance between comedy, action, and an emotional wild ride.
And of course there is the child actress. She was so spectacular and a lot of my high rating is because of her. At such a young age she can switch between a carefree girl and an old soul in the body of a child. Her whole body language changes and the look in her eyes as well. It makes me really hopeful for what she'll do in the future.

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Not your typical c-drama. This is a one-of-a-kind gem...get ready your tissues!

I started watching this show expecting it to be another one of those light-hearted, fluffy idol dramas. But I could not be more wrong - it defied expectations at every moment in a way that couldn't have been done better.

More than a love story, this is a story about growing up, trauma (with a dash of mystery), and finding light in a world that can sometimes become unbearably dark. The show evoked so many emotions in me, and I found myself tearing up every now and then, especially in the last few episodes when we dive headlong into finding out exactly why the group of six friends split up more than ten years ago.

The main storyline is chock-full of flashbacks, with each piece being part of the puzzle surrounding Liu Yifei's story. It's an innovative format that can come off as choppy and annoying if not done well, but Love Endures pulls it off. There are many small, clever details in the show beginning from the first episode that contribute significantly to the story, and they are easily missed if you don't watch carefully. It is precisely this that makes this show great for a re-watch. Lastly, the music is outstanding, not just because of the great songs (which are classics by Sun Yanzi, by the way), but also because the placement was done so immaculately.

If I had to nitpick, I would say that there isn't much chemistry between Yang Zi and Fan Chengcheng. While both of them put up a decent performance, the sparks just didn't fly this time round for me.

Overall, I would rate this as one of the best modern c-dramas to date. Would highly recommend!

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Most Refreshing Competition Show

One of the most entertaining idol competition shows I've watched. Positive vibes all around from the contestants to the judges. There is a greater focus on the contestants vs the judges, which I appreciated.

Contestants: Maybe it's due to the editing, but the vibes were mostly positive. Contestants were encouraging each other instead of strictly viewing each other as competitors.

Talent: Talent level-wise is not close to the Korean produce series. In the Korean produce series, contestants were well-rounded in dancing and singing. That's not to say that the contestants in Chuang are not talented. The contestants in this season were extremely talented in one area and less so in the other.

Extra: Highly encourage viewers to watch the side shows as well (dorm diaries, are you werewolf, vlogs, etc.). This show is the rare exception where I could name most of the contestants (almost 100).

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This show is worth watching

I watched the whole series when it was ongoing and I absolutely loved it. I’m a really big fan of Jun Shison and I fell in love with Kai Asakura . He was just so perfect. Also I really loved his bond with Gaku and Kai. Also Kai’s mysterious nature made me more intrigued to continue watching every Friday. I was really looking forward for Friday to come because of that. I was quite worried when I discovered that Kai had an illness and I literally cried when I thought he was going to die . I really miss it and I want a season 2 if it’s possible cause I want to see more of Kai-san! Also the last episode when Shibuya-san told Kai that he thought of him like a son and Kai started crying was so heart touching. I definitely recommend it and some people might find episode 1 boring but please don’t stop there! Since I found out to not judge a drama by it’s first episode.

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Just so very boring

But you know, at first it actually wasn't. Got to give full credit to those amazing Korean production values and the acting chops of literally everybody on screen because all of that propelled me through to about episode 3 before I realised I had no idea what was happening and the whole thing didn't make much sense.

Plot points seemed to repeat endlessly to no purpose and characters did inexplicable things for vague reasons (although rank stupidity did seem to be a factor).

The male lead seems to be able to sign up to a dating app with his own image, lure women in and kill them with nobody noticing or caring - let alone the police. I've seen the whole thing and still have no idea what motivated our female lead, Sum, at any point. The writer seemed to think her being autistic was sufficient motivation and I don't even know where to start on how offensive that is.

Somebody and the titular app, Someone, seem to represent an intense desire for connection between people who leave themselves open and vulnerable in trying to find it and thus end up hurt. But the show's limp, oppressed storytelling left us with nothing but a lot of scrabbling around in the dark and, admittedly, healthy doses of Kim Young-kwang being in equal parts creepy and sexy as fuck.

What should have been menacing ended up being undercut by the serial killer's sheer overwhelming omniscience and everybody's vague motivations. Don't get me started on the drama's annoying detours into mysticism and mentions of 'evil spirits' and 'exorcisms'.

By the end, I was hoping I too could be strangled mid-coitus because that would be a hell of a lot more interesting than this show and I'd still end up stupefied to the same extent.

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loses itself too much

although I love the cast, it’s the same issue again as far as writing goes: the story sucked.

chemistry is everywhere with everyone, but when the story just never really connects, it turns into a jumbled mess of bits and parts that never really give you the full picture.

the racing ends up being a background detail in general, which I was a little saddened about. we also never really get the full story on any of the characters, not even the main ones, so that was also just incredibly disorienting when trying to come up with theories (you can read the novel, I personally have zero interest in it). most of the characters were as complex as a cotton ball, so I wish the series would’ve changed that at the very least (north and sonic genuinely deserved better). there were a lot of unnecessary parts, but with the ending this series had, I don’t think im interested in a second season here. there’s not really anything left for them to do now, but I am still really impressed with a lot of the cast. Lee in specific I am really excited to see act in more series, he has one of the best scenes in the entire series and it left a huge impression on me.

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A second chance at life - DONE RIGHT!!!

I am so very impressed with the way this drama was executed.
usually dramas and manhwas around characters waking up in another life is such a cringe plot, but the cast and production team really made it work. the emotions felt real and not a manufactured script that is being shoved down peoples throats to make them believe.
Marcus and Vivian made such an amazing couple and their chemistry was on point. kiss scenes were so good.
I loved how simon playing qiangfen was breaking the 4th wall within his own world every now and then. in the beginning i could sense that qiangfeng has a weird thing going, and he did. And it was awesome.

overall an amazing drama. I don't know if its something i would watch again because the excitement and intensity of the drama is interesting mostly on a first watch

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zhao Lusi slays once again

Came for Zhao Lusi's wonderful acting.
Stayed for the romance.
It's quite a riveting story.


Cons:
The fourth consort's daughter's husband's nephew's wife, prince of X, and cousin on the maternal side, who is the assistant to the Marquis. That's pretty much one character out of the 50 they reference. Could NOT keep them straight. ERgo, couldn't follow the mystery and deep secret part. Like it anyway but it was exhausting trying to pay attention, stop to google the character names only to come up empty handed. Still enjoyed it.

Note;
These are not discreet war scenes. there is quite a bit of gore. Be prepared if you don't like that stuff.

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I still haven't found anything that impressed me more than this drama. I confess that in the middle of the episodes I was afraid of getting frustrated, because there were MANY plots, many characters (all deep and incredibly rich in their stories), many phases... but I was not disappointed in my expectations at all.
It's shocking how the drama didn't need ANY crutches to be brilliant. No scene was for nothing, guys.

Even with 20 episodes, ALL the scenes were explained and rescued with the coherence of the plot, delivering a cohesive, quality work with a lot of maturity to address so many heavy themes and so many different traumas.

The fact that the plot didn't need to explore romance to hold the audience was also very pleasing to me. Long episodes without a minute wasted. Lee Seung Gi as Jung Ba Reum is brilliant. This role certainly marked not only his career but also an entire generation of actors who will dream and strive to seek this level of excellence.

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by golly they had a Vision and they did it

I've watched Pit Babe twice through now, and I still think it's some of the most fun I've had in BL. I think what makes this show such a good time is that it absolutely nails a niche genre. While omegaverse fiction has a very particular... public image (?) there's a very specific set of tropes and tone to these stories that Pit Babe absolutely nails. From the over-the-top plot, to the fated connection of the partners, to the mostly silly half-explained powers, to family/pack dynamics, this team has done a pretty incredible job adapting what is largely considered niche porn into an entertaining story with pretty wide appeal. I have truly never had more fun tuning in each week to see what they were going to throw at us next.

-The Full Review-

STORY:
Pit Babe is... a little silly. The story quickly assumes a soap-opera adjacent tone with several secret siblings and evil family empires and sabotage plots... you get the idea. Unlike many BLs, however, Pit Babe succeeds in consistent tone and commitment that allows the reader to get absorbed into this heightened world. There's an intentionality to the goofier aspects that lets the audience laugh *with* the story, not at it. It's not meant to be too serious.
Despite this, the show does a wonderful job of crafting some truly compelling characters (especially in Babe and Charlie). Where the omegaverse plots gets a tongue-in-cheek humor, the characters get absolute care and heart. One of the most intriguing aspects of this screenplay is the way the story does not allow you to celebrate the downfall of those who have betrayed Team X-Hunter, instead focusing carefully on the guilt and loss the remaining members.
My only wish for the Pit Babe plot is that it was a little bit neater. It seems like the team was trying not to acknowledge the more controversial aspects of the omegaverse, and frequently left important plot points unexplained as a result. Watching live, I got the benefit of information from fans who had read the source material. While the actors and production team clearly did intend to reference these events, I'm not sure the plot always made it clearly to the screen. Additionally, the product placement was simply insane.

ACTING:
I find it genuinely difficult to judge the acting of this show, so let's start with the basics: All of the actors are perfectly competent. As an ensemble, there were no weak links or irritating cast members. It was easy to see the genuine chemistry and friendship of this cast on screen in a way that served the story's focus on found/created family. As loyalties started shifting and we got some unexpected team ups, they ably carried a sense of history extending beyond the timeline of the show itself. Among the supporting roles, Garfield and Benz were particular stand outs, giving such a fun and complete life to characters that had a relatively small amount of lines.
Beyond this... I was a little torn? I was genuinely very charmed by most of the actors! In particular, Pavel, Pooh, Nut, and Spy have gained a very genuine fan in me. But I didn't always feel that they pulled off a natural performance. I was just a hair too aware of the actor making choices behind the character to be truly pulled into some of the most intense scenes. I would have liked to see the production take the time required to let these fairly new actors really get into the scene. I hope the success of Pit Babe allows their next productions (which I will definitely be watching!) a bit more room in the shooting schedules.

PRODUCTION:
Pit Babe was making some strong decisions in the production departments, goodness. I should say first, it's definitely watchable. You won't find oddly empty rooms, terrible shirt mics, and other hallmarks of genuinely poor production here. But my god, did the design teams make some baffling choices. My personal beef lies with the props department that let that travesty of a gravestone get a several-minutes long close up without covering all the seams, but there is a special place in my heart for the costume team that put Way in three separate jackets on the same day too. While it doesn't take away from the enjoyment of the show, it *was,* at times, distracting.

INTIMACY:
Hm. Here's the thing: Pavel and Pooh have been open about the fact that the NC scenes in Pit Babe were not particularly thoroughly choreographed, overly relying on cast members in an already vulnerable position to essentially improv... and I think it shows. While Pavel and Pooh had some truly excellent scenes that clearly had a lot of thought and story behind them, Spy and Pon were treated to a very odd pose-to-pose montage without a lot of direction or purpose behind it.
I want to be clear here: I don't blame the actors at all. I mean to say that Pavel and Pooh have pulled off something beautiful in the face of unwarranted obstacles, not that Spy and Pon have "failed" in anyway. But on a personal level, I don't agree with this style of direction. It's the creators responsibility to support and protect their actors, and I don't like seeing signs of their insecurity and discomfort making it to the screen/BTS.

In all, I think Pit Babe was fun show and great stepping stone for some overlooked talents. I enjoy rewatching, but I'm looking forward to what comes next even more.

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I feel a bit cheated

I enjoyed this series to an extent, I do feel we were cheated on many things with this series. The main ones (for me) being 1. Jade and Mai don't get together until the very last episode. That means everything between them and after they got together etc living together, meeting the parents etc was rushed extremely and not in a good way in my opinion. The 2nd thing I feel cheated about was the scene of Uea and King in the intro, we never got that scene! I understand this wasn't their series but why put that scene in and get people excited if you're not going to do it?!

I liked Jade in Bed Friends and I was excited to see his story unfold but I also won’t lie and say that, 90% of the reason I even watching this, was for the Uea and King content I’ve dearly missed. Bed Friends was the second BL I’ve ever watched so the characters hold a special place in my heart.

I feel like the humor was too much at times, the whole series is basically a bad rom-com which focuses on the comedic aspects of it more than anything. Multiple times throughout the series I paused and wondered, “Wtf am I watching.” Sometimes the humor made up for that feeling but when you have to ask yourself multiple times, what am I watching?, then something might need to change.

I did love the little callbacks from Bed Friends, especially between King and Uea, but I also was disappointed by them as well because, did King propose to Uea at the end of Bed Friend? Cause I specifically remember a proposal but it is never once mentioned in this series, they don't even refer to each other as fiancé, just boyfriends.

And why tf did Jade get sick when Mai took his shirt off?! WTF Some of the choices made were just ridiculous.

Jade is the definition of oblivious cinnamon roll who is blind with and without his glasses. And, while I like that to an extent, they really overplayed it. And that whole fight/argument between King and Uea made no sense to me, it was just added so that all the couples of the show were having issues at the same time. I also didn't like how the first spicy scene we get isn’t between the main couple but the 3rd side characters. Don’t get me wrong it was steamy but, what was the point in waiting til the very last episode for Mai and Jade to get together? Plus, maybe this was just me but Jade and Mai's steamy scenes were kinda odd.

Overall I really don't think Middleman's Love did Yim and Tutor justice. They are talented and have such good chemistry together I hope we get a chance to seem them in something better.

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smartly written with excellent performances

The trailer looked smart & interesting so I gave this drama a try, and wow, what a surprisingly good show it turned out to be. It's funny, poignant, and carefully examines human relationships with a sensitivity rarely reached by any show these days.

Shuo Bing & Tang Chen are both workaholics in competing high profile public relations firms in Hangzhou. They're also a couple engaged to each other, until they ask the impossible of each other when it comes time to consider marriage. Then comes a stunning betrayal.

Tang Chen is a 40 year old CEO of a PR firm he built from scratch, and one who desperately wants his world to be perfectly tuned to his own drum beat. His workaholism drives him to neglect his fiancee's needs to his detriment, forcing her to choose between marriage and career. Shuo Bing, in her 30's, is a mid level manager who makes the difficult choice between being ruthless enough to ruin a competing business (ie Tang Chen's) for a massive promotion, or settling for a domestic life she can't support. Later it's revealed that Shuo Bing's calm & cold demeanor hides a crushing & turbulent storm underneath, to which Tang Chen is completely oblivious.

The ensuing aftermath of that decision only serves to showcase Tang Chen's mastery of psychological manipulation in PR as he rebuilds his career. It's a fascinating look at his method: taking the time to find out about a person, where they have been in their lives and thus guiding their trajectory toward the success they seek. And not only does he bring out the best in his clients, he applies the same sensitivity & skills in bringing out the best in each member of his new team. References to Journey to the West are frequent and such that even the founding members of this team are named Tang, Sha, & Zhu, supporting each other and persevering "in spite of the strong wind" bringing more & more powerful demons against them.

Imbedded within this cut-throat competition of the PR world are case studies of 3 couples deeply in conflict. Tang Chen uses his empathic skill to guide his core team members through their personal issues, while taking lessons from his own parents in realizing what success & relationships truly mean to him, & that all of his skills are for naught if he didn't apply them to his own fiancee. The road of examination leaves almost no stone unturned as everyone eventually finds an endpoint they can be satified with.

What a difference mature, experienced, & talented actors make. Jin Dong and Song Jia play their characters with such a deep understanding of two people walking a razor thin line, navigating horrendous forces that turned them into professional rivals, while trying to find a way to hold each other in their hearts. The ensemble cast is excellent. Wang Yu Wen has been in modern lead roles, but here I feel she is in a more suitable role which actually shows her talent better. Oddly, Zhou MaiJie is not credited on MDL for his role, Hou Zhi, a major character. He's credited on IMDB, but there's no info on ZMJ at all.

At any rate, this is a gem of a show: well acted, smartly written, funny, poignant, and which I'm glad to have come across.

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