Reviews

the heavy weight of past generations

this cdrama really follows it's own title, where its about ties and grudges from a previous generation that weight on the current one.

this show has many pros, but also many annoying elements. i think what makes it worth a watch is the main lead who carried the cdrama!

>>>the main leads:
MQ is a grey, bold character . His character was played very well because i think he showed the nuances of many decisions he took. the character has so many red flags, but the actor really delivered here.

CZ is also a bold character, lively too... but she is mostly boxed in a righteous idealism for a long time in the show. it's understandable as she represents the legacy of the heroine of the past generation... but i think it's one of the elements i thought were overdone... even when she was resolute, the actress did not show us enough nuance or internal struggles as she had a lot if them!!

both main characters evolve and it's beautiful to see them slowly break from a status quo of who they are told to be.... ( the most interesting part of the cdrama for me) however, i have to admit CZ growth comes so late in the show! (albeit her angst and bittersweet moments are amazing!!! ) it's beyond frustrating because they are too few! and even then, it's inconsistent!

>>> plot :
it starts nicely but it quickly feels alllll overrrr the placeeeee ahhhhhh!
then the plot keeps revolving around itself in a wierd way . i think it could have been a shorter cdrama. reveals and hidden elements were all over, some were really cool to discover along but others felt forced.

The past generation's story is so heavy it's overwhelming sometimes. i really enjoyed the intertwining stories of the present and past, we see really well how the past affected the present.
Some characters are refreshing ( like CZ parents!) while others are classic.

some episodes were really memorable, especially the ones where the ML are on their journeys together.

>>> execution
there's something about the way it's filmed or the script, i can't point my finger on it, cringe? disconnected? stereotyped? flat? despite beautiful angles and scenes.
action scenes are nice though!

>>> it's a rich complex story with fun moments and intrigue. i think MQ carried the show till the end as other roles felt a little 2D...

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An actual improvement from a previous Thai BL - well paced and played

After watching the first 5 Episode of the original Thai BL version, I didn't feel convinced; it felt dragged and the actors didn't feel special. When I went to watch the new Japanese version, I realized I had watched so many Thai BL's, that I was a bit over-saturated and I realized how I missed the Japanese BL style a lot. This series had a gravitas, a seriousness and a very good pacing. It starts right into the action, just to backtrack a few times, with every episode being well rounded in itself. The MC had two distinctly looking and acting actors, though I admit that Nagumo Shoma as Sara was a true bonus, giving this mix of bad boy, sad boy and one desperately fighting to find a happy life, contrasted by Phu's shy are kinda naive ways. Both actors portrait the characters really well, and I was especially glad that the ending gave the devil of a mother her deserved ruination.

Often time travel, parallel timelines and other worlds are risky, because things get very wrong or one of two is left behind, and this series solved it in a very interesting and satisfying way, leaving the viewer thinking about the idea, how easily small decisions or inaction bring entire large scale alterations of life. Chances never taken, and what would be merrier than a Second Chance. Settings, camera work and also the NC scenes were good, with the latter neither being too much or too little and surely something pleasing to the eyes. The serious undertone many Japanese series have was quite refreshing, and also for once not again seeing characters whom I had seen many times in year long ships for a change. Without reinventing the wheel I had a good time, and the two special episodes giving yet another timeline, but in the end adding some extra time in the prime timeline, showing how their relationship progressed, rounded it all up very well. So I can confidently give an

8.5/10

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Drama to pass the time.

ML is narcissistic, I thought there would be some twist and the J-drama would show an acceptable reason (if there is such a thing as an acceptable reason for betrayal), but the J-drama didn't delve into ML's past relationship, why he betrayed his girlfriend, but from what I understood ML was very manipulative with FL, when he realized he was going to lose her to someone else, he tried to be more romantic, I was surprised by FL's maturity, she realized that she would always be suspicious of him, and that their relationship is based on being "accomplices" in the betrayal. And that ML wouldn't make a good husband, I thought they would stay together, but she preferred to be alone, I liked her choice.

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WOW

I won’t write a long review because this drama doesn’t need one, but I just want to say that it was so good. It kept me hooked from the beginning until the very end. You can’t predict anything in this drama.

I decided to watch it after seeing a short extract on TikTok. At first, I thought the story would go in a certain direction, but in the end it turned out to be completely different from what I imagined.

The writer did a really good job because the story was so engaging. It never got boring and it wasn’t overly crazy with unnecessary or dumb plot twists. Usually, I feel that most dramas with 16 or more episodes could have fewer episodes because the story doesn’t need that many. Sometimes there are filler episodes that don’t add anything interesting and only bring more and more plot twists just to increase the number of episodes.

But this drama didn’t feel like that at all. Every episode felt useful to the story.

Also, the characters are very well written. You can’t really choose a side because each character has their own struggles and their own reasons, and that’s what makes the story so good.

I really recommend watching this drama.

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Don't Write A Novel!

Partners for Justice is about a genius forensic doctor and a rookie prosecutor who team up to solve murder cases.

It caught my attention because it focuses on something I’ve always been curious about when watching other crime dramas, the forensic team and the National Forensic Service (NFS). This series really dives into that profession and gives detailed information about forensics and its role in solving cases.

The story is great, there are plot twists here and there, which I loved the most because they kept me thrilled. Of course, there are also some cliché tropes common in crime Kdramas, quite a few annoying characters, and some not-so-logical plot points.

Overall, it’s an very enjoyable watch.

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Definitely Worth to Watch

Definitely Not Today is about Mi Chong who plans to commit suicide, but his plan is ruined when he decides to save Zhi Liao from drowning. From that moment, their lives are never the same again.

It’s a dark comedy series, not really my go-to genre, but because the leads are a couple from one of my comfort dramas, Be Yourself, I decided to give it a try. Also, this drama is short, with only 8 episodes of about 20 minutes each, so I could finish it quickly.

The chemistry is definitely there. Their characters and banter in general also remind me a lot of Be Yourself, so that sense of familiarity kept me watching until the end. The plot isn’t particularly unique and is quite predictable, but it’s not something you see often in Cdramas. The comedy actually hits at some points. The topics feel relatable too. Most of all, I love how well-directed it is, considering it’s just a mini-series.

Overall, it was a pretty good watch for me.

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Story was way better than i thought it was going to be

So this was a pretty good story about the messy relationships between people trying to figure out how to deal with falling in love with people that theyre pretending to be "just friends" or friends with benefits with people they actually fell in love with. The story was way better than i thought it was going to be, honestly. Another theme that they dealt with interestingly is the recognizing the differences between a person who is a h*e and wants to change their lifestyle and someone who is a h*e who is playing around with someone's feelings because they dont know how to love or love themselves, let alone other people. I like how they handled that theme because not everything is a happy ending for every couple in real life and they showed how alot of the struggles that people have in relationships (like forgiveness and jealousy) cause different results in relationships. And it wasnt just black and white either, which i like. What was clear was the differences in intent and effort to change when the person who messed up apologizes and is asking for forgivess while promising to change. All very real relationship concerns when it comes to that.

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I was expecting more from the production

This survival show is quite forgettable in itself even if I'm quite happy with the outcome as my faves made it into the final group. In terms of production value, it is pretty flawed : poor editing, low budget, putting non stop the participants into traumatic events for seemingly the single purpose of making them cry, unmemorable stages... There is not a lot of grace to be found about this show if it is not the participants themselves.

It is more on the lower budget / self produced by the company itself type of survival show. Indeed, it is a lot more like the ones that led to Stray Kids, Nexz, &TEAM, TREASURE than the ones that led to ENHYPEN, ZEROBASEONE, ALPHA DRIVE ONE, CLOSE YOUR EYES, AHOF... In itself this is not an issue because some of those lower budget survival were better than some of the ones produced by TV companies. However, this is not the case here. It truly seems that Hybe Japan put less care into this one that the one that launched &TEAM.

Despite binging the show pretty quickly, it is not one I would recommend given the poor production value and overall forgettable stages. It is quite a short watch (comparatively to other survival shows) and the overall final line up made perfect sense, even if it is frustrating how they traumatized all these boys repeatedly but without ultra rewarding moments. Knowing that it is under Hybe big umbrella, you could / should expect more from the production and making.

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Horrible

I am a big fan of the two main actors for this series and I wanted to enjoy it but this was horrible. The chemistry was there until you had everyone start sleeping with others, then it looked weird and gross. Clearly this is not a love story but lust story. I am still not sure as to the point of this series as there is no ending and I would not want a ending season of this type of horrible series. Love the actors but this series could have been good, sadly its trash with smut and sleeping around being the focus, clearly they were aiming for all three to sleep together given enough time. I really did not like this and it's over don't tone, they tried to hard to be funny and it was not.

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Romcom is back

The drama is it an easy watch, no heavy plots, twists, fillers, love triangles and it is not your typical enemies to lovers. Stars with quirky fantasy comedy, which wasn’t my thing but after episode 5, it blooms to a more human kind of drama, dealing with loneliness, fears, etc. You will find yourself laughing, crying and even screaming. SeoInGuk does more than an excellent job playing his character. The tone of his voice, his calmness, facial expressions, and the way he carries himself as a shy quiet guy is adorable and on point. . The chemistry with Jisoo is amazing. Exactly as the director said, SeoInGuk had to be the male lead, and i totally see why. SeoInGuk said jisoo was perfect for the character and she made it more lovely than the script, i can definitely see how this character really suits her. I really enjoyed it, as it’s one of those dramas that you can watch over and over again.

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Generation to Generation is not the kind of drama that tries to captivate its audience with spectacle, kisses, or elaborately choreographed fight scenes. Instead, it focuses on something deeper: how the wounds and choices of one generation continue to echo in the next.

The characters are generally well written—there are many of them, which might seem intimidating at first, but don’t worry: you won’t miss the essential ones.

YI RAN !
The true centerpiece of the series, however, is undoubtedly Yi Ran in his portrayal of Mu Qingyan. His performance carries a rare intensity: sometimes a single look is enough to convey an entire storm of emotions. His acting is remarkably precise—fragile yet strong, broken yet determined. The way his gaze shifts, the tension in his voice, those micro-expressions that communicate everything without a word… Yi Ran performs with almost dangerous precision. He doesn’t try to show emotion; he simply lets it exist. As a result, some scenes stay in your mind for a long time, and whenever he appears, you feel like replaying the scene at least three times.

In that sense, he joins what Luo Yunxi brought to the genre: a more sensitive, layered, and introspective way of portraying wuxia heroes. But Yi Ran is not imitating anyone—he offers his own tone, his own version of the anti-hero, more introspective and internalized.

Romance
The romance here is rather chaste—which makes sense considering the characters’ age. The drama beautifully captures the feeling of first love and first emotional experiences. There is no need for kisses; simple gestures like holding hands, or the speech near the end, create some of the most memorable moments I’ve experienced while watching a C-drama.

FL
The heroine fits her role well and delivers a natural performance. She is energetic and curious—at the beginning more practical than romantic—but she ultimately plays a crucial role in the hero’s redemption.

PLOT
Regarding the plot, the story explores the characters’ mistakes and their attempts to repair the past. This complexity makes the narrative very human. Each character seems to represent a different stage: some are still trapped by the past, while others try to break the cycle. What makes the story compelling is that their decisions are never simple. We witness their contradictions, their sacrifices, and their regrets.

Almost every character is haunted in some way by the legacy of Cai Ping Shu. His heritage leaves a different mark on each member of this so-called “orthodox” sect, shaping their motivations in unique ways.

On the demonic side, our hero is a man haunted by the past, driven by the desire to uncover the truth, avenge his loved ones, and ultimately bring peace among the clans.

PROD
From a directing standpoint, the series clearly offers more than just something commercially profitable. There are good artistic ideas here—new directions worth exploring. Some narrative threads could have been handled better, Yes, the editing could be smoother, especially at the beginning, and sometimes more dynamic later on but these imperfections are forgivable. Personally, I would rather support projects like this than PURELY commercial productions which is tailor-made to satisfy the fandom of the lead stars.

The director also delivers several visually beautiful scenes, particularly those set in water with floating flowers. Another positive point is the restrained use of music—there is no overwhelming musical overdose.

CAST
Finally, the supporting cast deserves recognition as well. Many of the younger actors show promising potential, and the couple representing the older generation is very convincing.

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