Reviews

Must Rewatch!

Love love love this cdrama. So much so that I stayed up all night to binge the last 8 eps because I couldn’t stop watching. I will rewatch this cdrama again soon. I would put it right up there with L&P and Go Go Squid. The actors and the storyline in this cdrama didn’t disappoint. LYY and his facial expressions were on point. You could read a lot into his lingering glares. The chemistry between the ML and FL was amazing. I wished that the storyline with Lin Lin and MXD was explored. MXD should’ve gone on that last trip. He was so critical to their relationship development. Who did JY end up with? What happened to little brother Tian? Maybe there will be a spin-off as the storyline with Lin Lin and MXD story deserves to be told imo.

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It's good, but overrated!

I started this show about a week ago, but long after the show has ended, so I have seen & read many glowing reviews & saw how folks proclaimed this drama being the best one they have ever seen.
I not for one moment have felt that way, but it took me quite a bit of introspection to -I think- figure out why.
I mean at the very least we’ve seen amazingly well acted emotional scenes, that are up there with the best of the best in Kdramaland. There is a lot of good music, romances & one amazing bromance thing, so at the very least I can understand why someone would rate this at 10/10 amazing..

Let me explain, why to me this is far worse than 10/10 & why I felt something is really wrong with this drama throughout most of the episodes. Disclaimer, I’m a rather nitpicky person. I can find logical flaws in almost anything, but that has not prevented me to give 10/10 ratings to flawed shows before.
Let’s start with a TLDR to not waste anyone’s time with my long rambling: Many and perhaps most of the minor details in this drama are either wrong or off. This pile of immersion breaking lack of attention to detail is just too tall for me.

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So here I go:

I could go on and on about -tiny or large- time travel related plotholes, but I have begrudgingly accepted them, because time travel shows always have a ton of these. (Though the level of disregard for consistency is on another level in this drama.)

Music is an important part of this drama, but the sound is completely unrealistic in most scenes. Not only does everything sound like an overly perfect studio recording, but also every guitar in the show sounds like $20000. These kids are not millionaires, yo! Sure the guitar point is very nitpicky, but I have never at any point felt like I’m listening to music made by a very talented up and coming band, or anything remotely live-like. (as in live music sounding like a live performance)

Sol Ina is just too old for this role. Yes, she acted amazingly well here & I’m happy for her success. I’m sure no one could’ve done better in her place, but I would love to see a big budget kdrama where the teens are played by at most 22 year olds. Just to reiterate again, yes she is stunningly beautiful and everything, but she's not a teen & can never pass as one. If this only happened in a couple of flashbacks it would’ve been fine, but she is a teen the entire time.
This point applies to Ryeoun as well. He is not a believable Korean teenager at any point in time. He is 25, what could he have possibly done, right?

The portrayal of disabilities in Korean media always have been very annoying to me. Here it’s probably the best I’ve seen so far from them, but there were still quite a few weird moments. Being deaf is very difficult to portray well to begin with, I don’t know. Largely because you want to keep the audience entertained, but if you as an actor do over the top emotional faces in every single scene, then the end result cannot possibly be something believable. Though of course the actors followed well what was asked of them. I can somewhat understand why they choose to do it like this. Imagine if the story was almost the same in every way, but Cheong Ah had not been deaf just an introvert, if Eun Gyeol's parents were able to hear, but lived a very hard, tumultuous life. To me it seems like most of the plot would have worked just the same. I strongly suspect that the writer added decided to go with the CODA thing, because there were a couple really big hit shows that featured disabilities. Deafness is not completely an important, integral part of the show.

Romance is only so so, I did not really feel the chemistry, nor are the romantic plots very engaging. Then again this is probably the most realistic part of the drama, because teenagers falling in love is the easiest thing in the world, no elaborate plots are needed.

The main villain is very sterotypical and boring, her actions were very silly & her end is anticlimactic. The family situation at that house makes no sense. They could have made Cheong Ah's backstroy much more interesting without opting for this whole "her father ignores her suffering" plot.

The late nineties Korea in the show is -you guessed it- highly unrealistic.

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My fellow MDL user, I’m sure you’ve noticed by now how most of my criticisms are about realism. It would be a logical conclusion that this is a me problem, since kdrama as a genre tends to be very lacking in realism & anyone who wants realism should not watch kdramas.
I agree with this of course, but if a show’s end goal is not just to entertain with comedy & sugar, but maybe to educate about disabilities, to present gut wrenching moments and to make the audience empathize with the characters, then realism becomes rather important, or at the very least a fantasy setting should respect its own established rules & just in general the writer should not insult our intelligence.
Just look at the various Reply dramas, every single one of them has a similar blend of teen romance, bromance and to a lesser extent family tragedies to Twinkling Watermelon, but they are far more reasonable in every way, the emotional scenes in those are really really great, while the comedy and romance still get to shine.

The overall presentation is a bit childish. So perhaps we should just judge this as a teen programme. That’s fair, I’ve given it some thought & perhaps watching this at the age of 14 my mind could have been completely blown, I don’t know. Most of us on MDL are adults though & with that in mind I decided to settle for a rating of 7.5, because despite everything I've said, here and there there were moments of real brilliance in the show.

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Very unexpected

When I first started watching Love for Love's Sake, I thought it was going to be a very wholesome series. Episodes 1-4 were really cute but episode 5 and the episodes after that felt like I was watching a horror drama, which is why I'm saying it was very unexpected. Even the trailer looked like it was going to be a nice and innocent BL.
Don't get me wrong, It was really good! I loved seeing Yeo Woon's fondness for Myung Ha slowly grow.
It's not easy to make someone like you, especially if that someone saw you as a weird stranger. But in the end Myung Ha succeded not only making Yeo Woon acknowledge him, but also making him happy. I loved that a lot.
I wasn't the biggest fan of Sang Won, he was really pushy and very annoying while Kyung Hoon was just in the background but atleast he was still a little bit more likeable.
To be completely honest, I was confused most of the time but the ending really helped me put the pieces together. It was very bittersweet.
Like I said it was really good, so I hope you watch this series with an open heart!

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Is innocence synonymous with freedom?

With the imminent premiere of the Netflix drama "Queen of Tears", I decided to watch Kim Soo Hyun's latest drama, which is "One Ordinary Day" from 2021. I confess that I was surprised that Soo Hyun had been on hiatus for almost 3 years and only returned now with the Netflix drama. That said, I deeply regret not having watched this drama when it was released. The technical and scenic quality is of a unique excellence, with everything very well developed. The Korean justice system is once again called into question, and here, as is routine, we see that vanity and ambition are put first in relation to the suffering of others.

They took Hyun Soo's life, and there is no way he can go back to the starting point where his life was abruptly changed. Everything is in the past, and there is no possible reparation. The designation of ex-convict will always be with him, and Korean conservative society will judge him every day, regardless of his innocence. Of course, Hyun Soo was guilty of omission of aid, and his selfishness led him to where we are, but the hell he lived is much more the responsibility of the justice hyenas than anything else.

Finally, Seung Won deserves praise, who plays this lawyer who lives in a state of full dermatitis. I confess that I felt disgusted at first, but as the dermatitis evolved, the case became denser and more complicated. When Hyun Soo was released, the lawyer's dermatitis eased. Kim Sung Gyu, playing Ji Tae, was above criticism. He knew how to be the escape valve for the psychological pressures that Hyun Soo suffered, although in a very twisted way, but he was a protector.

About the ending, I had two feelings: the first that he was going to commit suicide and the second that smoking that last pack of cigarettes would be like saying goodbye to all the hell he lived. I loved this drama so much, impeccable.

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Tenderness, Determination and Longing = Love

This drama displays emotional growth, career aspirations and inspirational longing that leads to lasting love. The ML gave an enriching performance of ego, humility, patience and compassion. The FL was wonderful in her display of innocence within first love experiences while striving to accomplish her career goals. The chemistry! Warmth, tension, attraction, and tenderness were all swoon worthy. The depth of emotion with the supporting cast was noteworthy and rich. The sensitivities of friend family relations were heart tugging reminders that tomorrow is not promised to anyone. The backdrop, scenery and production truly pull you into each changing scene. This is a beautifully written, cast and performed drama paced to make your heart ebb and flow with the understanding that we all have our faults, growth needed and strengths. But with love and understanding, the other side of progress can be beautiful.
A MUST WATCH!!!

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A reflection for those in their 20s-30s, a story to look back on for those in their 30s-40s

I went in to this drama thinking it was a romcom based on the trailer & poster. However, I finished the drama shedding tears over grievance, familial love, friendship, reminiscing our youth and the reality of life. The love in "Love Endures" covered every aspecst of love there is in a bittersweet manner where I was moved to tears. The smooth transitions betwene the past and present makes the viewers enjoy the moment but snaps the viewers back into reality, making many of these episodes comedic but sad at the same time. I felt that the storyline had great pacing and each of the underlying stories blended well with one another.

This drama also made me reflect on my life. I am in my 20s and feel that this drama hits home to me with how friends that I have seen everyday become friends that I see only once in 6 months. It made me really reminisce my schooling days when I yearned to grow up, which became ironic because now I want to become young again. I could also strongly relate to Ying Zi's love for her friends and really admire the dynamics in the friend group.

Acting: Yang Zi absolutely killed it again with another emotional drama. I watched this for her so there was no surprise on how well she did. She is very natural (especially in the past timeline, but I think this is also partly due to past Ying Zi's (YZ) personality being similar to Yang Zi herself irl) and her emotions transits through the screen. On the other hand, I felt that Fan Chengcheng's acting could have been better but I think this is his first few dramas so I believe there's always space for improvement. It's just that it was kind of wasted in a sense that I could not feel the lovers-chemistry between Ying Zi (YZ) and Jiang Yi (FCC) when they started dating. But that could have just been me and also, the story was just too good and there were more in the drama to focus on, so this is a small issue.

Overall, this was a drama that would be on my top 3 cdramas to recommend to people who have only watched cliche idol cdramas and are looking for a slightly more serious drama that encapsulates all the emotions and feelings one could feel over the years of growing up, especially those in their 20s-30s. This was a self-reflection, at least for me.

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Good Drama!, But..

Good concept but the plot makes me unsatisfied. In this drama Ak Hee's personality or character is very dominant, while Sajo Hyun is too weak.

I mean it's like Sajo Hyun didn't do anything, but Ak Hee did everything for Yeon Wol even to make Yeon Wol happy even though him self was suffering. Sajo Hyun's personality thinks too much, he is busy with him emotional thoughts, while Ak Hee immediately takes action even if it hurts him. It was difficult for me to see Yeon Wol love Sajo Hyun's personality more than Ak Hee.

Ak Hee always has a way to save Yeon Wol and also helps Sajo Hyun, Sajo Hyun's personality really depends on Ak Hee

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Surprisingly beautiful.... ❤❤❤

Initially i was reluctant to watch this..... But i am glad i watched it.... Just loved it.....
Everything is soooo nice to watch....
Romance is just ❤❤❤❤❤
Chemistry between leads is 😍😍fire....
And small little moments between them are just like cherry on the cake.....story is good tooo

First 20 episodes are majorly focused on male and female leads' romance, long distance relationship....
Next 10 episodes are a bit fast paced.... A lot of things happen in them... Like male returning to his hometown, male lead's teacher's death, male and female playing tournament together and finally the proposal....
But everything is good.... Nothing seems like a mess.....
To not make this drama appear unrealistic, a small fight/misunderstanding is also shown between the leads but it is solved very quickly....

Overall i loved this c drama a lotttt... And it has become one of my top 5 favorite c dramas of all time......

In love with this❤❤❤❤

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A cuddly piece of euphoria

So apparently you can summon your distant lover by playing a Conan Gray song to him. I'll make sure to try that out. Happy Valentines, my single friends!

🔸No matter how much you're lost in life, if you are with the right people everything else will come along. This incredible, thoughtful, sensual and inspiring work of art is a rare collaboration between a Korean and a foreign director Baek Inu and Werner du Plessis. It is coming-of-age genre, and explores such themes as adapting to the new environment (Ji Hyeon in Seoul), processing traumas (Jae Won and his depression), trying to live up to someone's expectations and finding your inner strength. You can tell right away that creating a safe space for queer people was the priority for this BL. There are no triggering scenes, hate speech, rejections based on orientation, but instead there are many understanding friends that support the main characters along the way. You can safely watch this drama. Without a single explicit frame, sexual tension and intimacy flood the screen in all the right moments. I'm hypnotized.

Stunning, stunning performances of Lim Ji Seob and Oh Joon Taek! Their expressions are so subtle, and you can feel little electrical sparks lighting between them on screen. From now on, I demand to see these actors in big successful projects only!

🔸The drama feels especially real because it's not isolated from the real world. It is full of references to such movies as I'm a Cyborg, But That's Okay or Hedwig and The Angry Inch, or the influential needle drop The Story by Conan Gray. Several quirky characters like the English-speaking bartender or the cheerful cashier with the K-Trot USB are always surprising and bring diversity to the table even if their influence is insignificant. I imagine this richness is the result of the collaboration. In this case, I'd love more international projects in Korea.

🔸As for the title "The Eighth Sense", I think it's nothing more than an homage to the creator's favorite movie The Sixth Sense. The plot is not even vaguely resembling the 2001 thriller. The only thing they have in common is the main character having counseling sessions about his mental struggles. From the other angle, the title doesn't make any sense as well. Eun Ji, the supporting character, says: "I realized the five senses weren't everything. Just follow your senses. Who knows what might happen?" But what are the other seven senses then? I feel like this particular line just appears out of nowhere to justify the title.

But hey, now I finally learned how to spell "eighth"!

🔸The Eighth Sense is by far the most vibrant and living K-drama (not just as a BL) that doesn't have that manufactured TV production touch. I actually felt a little bit high watching it (hahah) from how much I related and how bad I wanted to be in that campfire circle with the surfing club folks. I wish the cast and the crew good luck and a big success in the future!

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Happiness For Happiness Sake

Took me a little while to binge this after this series finished airing. I think it’s because I had OD on Thai BLs for a little while now. Especially the saccharine school BLs that GMMTV puts out. I needed a BL rinse before getting into another school BL. This Korean BL was just the right binge.

First off I adored Cha Yeon Woon for being the prickly ML. He reminds me of Milk from Choco Milk Sahke. I really like these kind of characters. He’s not the typical prickly type of ML that have walls that are too high to climb over like Nueng in Never Let Me Go or Kawi in Be My Favorite. He’s adorable in the cutest way. I love how he initiates the first kiss and gives the first confession despite his shyness.

Then there is Tae Myung Ha as the MC being the grouchy uncle persona as the senior of the group of friends. He’s so clueless for the 29 year old in a 19 year old body. This dude is clueless about love and happiness despite being thr adult who view everyone as a kid. He’s the biggest kid mentally for not understanding his actions towards Cha Yeon Woon. It is really Cha Yeon Cha who teaches him about life and how to enjoy it.

Cheon Sang Won and Ahn Khung Hoon are the side couple which I liked. For KBLs, I really do not need side couples taking away from the focus of the main couple. Especially when there’s 8 short episodes. Even if this series has longer episodes than most KBLs. It is still short. I am mixed about Cheon Sang Won because he comes off too strong to Tae Myung Ha is pursing him even after he got rejected. It’s also ridiculous that he would let himself get beaten up so he can get Tae Myung Ha attention for being gay after TMH kissed Junho. But then he befriends cha Yeon Woon even if he is his love rival. Ahn Khung Hoon seems like a filler character to the sister who help TMH gets work and build a fanbase for CYW.

This series reminds me of Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint. The goal, the timeline, the penalty and even the secondary goals. The author of this manga must have drawn inspiration from ORV.

The plot twist ending is interesting. I wish I didn’t read the spoiler for the ending so I could’ve enjoyed it more. So I am not going to give the spoiler to the ending here.

Definitely worth the binge.

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