Reviews

This is a perfect underdog story

I really loved Itaewon class. It's been a while since I watched it but there are many memorable moments in it that come to mind. It's not my typical genre of drama, but I am so glad I watched it. The plot is about a young man who has been wronged by the world, but picks up the pieces of his life and creates something spectacular. His grit and determination never waver, helping him find success in the most difficult of circumstances, up against an enemy much more powerful than he is. He is also a kind and compassionate young man, fiercely loyal to his friends even when they also cause much trouble for him. This makes them extremely loyal to him, and no matter what anyone does to this poor young man he always bounces back and his hard won success was truly a joy to watch. It's really well written and I can't praise it enough. Every single character in this show has spectacular depth and motivations. The ML was fantastic, I will now watch anything with him in it. Seriously, even if your typical favorite genre is romance, give this one a watch. I really think you'll like it.

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Pirate twink sadist courts abused former slave girl

Yeah I don't know who wrote the review that I read before watching this, but it was complete nonsense. The story is good, it's good enough that I might consider watching it again in a few years. Basically the premise is that this pirate twink who is obsessed with revenge for his family meets the enslaved pearl diver. She's a slave that escapes her circumstances and sneaks on his ship. After he puts her through some more horrific abuse for a while, she joins the convoy and the story goes on from there. I think it's ridiculous for the audience to be expected to understand someone like the pirate twink, and forgive him for the cruelty he showed this former slave who already endured so much hardship and cruelty. This is not an appropriate romance lmao. Our victim, a typical abused girl, is convinced she can fix him and shows extreme loyalty. The FL is always a fantastic actress, I have always enjoyed watching her portray characters. This story is one of resilience, determination, and success despite having the odds against you. Around the midpoint of this drama, I had to take a break. Some seriously emotional events happened and I had to actually struggle to find the will to keep watching. I truly was so close to dropping this title because of it, I think a lot of these things were done for shock value and it could have certainly been written in a better way. But despite that, I am glad that I finished it and I think it was a pretty decent story.

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Disappointing Otome Isekai, with extra cringe on the side.

WHO RATED THIS A TEN???

Okay, I am a sucker for Otome Isekai, especially those where the MC is reborn as the villainess character. They are one of my favorite subgenres and I would like to think I have watched enough of them to be a bit of an enthusiast. However, this drama was not it for me. The plot is that of a typical mediocre otome isekai story, MC transported to another world into the body of the villainess in her favorite book series. I did have high hopes for this series as the plot description caught my attention. However, the storytelling just wasn't there. The writers made the weirdest choices, and it felt like honestly they were just asking Chat GPT to give them conflicts and character depth. Not to mention, the FL gave me so much second hand cringe. Her acting was so bad, it was difficult to keep watching. I felt like my skin was crawling as I watched her attempt to portray this character, it fell flat and she just seemed like a goofy moron who made the worst choices possible, and needed the ML for everything. (A departure from typical really good villainess otome isekai which is female-centric with a powerful FL.) In her defense, the character isn't that great to begin with, and the script was also really bland. But also, she's just really, really bad at acting. There was not a drop of chemistry between her and the ML and I wondered how they could even end up together. To be honest, it felt like they were more friends than anything, and sometimes felt like she didn't like him at all despite what she was saying. His acting was so much better than hers though, so the balance was off as well - it was like he held all the chemistry and she was just goofy and oblivious, nonchalant and uncaring. The special effects were cool, the music was pretty decent. I will never rewatch this. I barely slogged my way through it the first time.

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Outstanding performances and a remarkable production of a contemporary drama.

I came across a teaser on YouTube, then searched on MDL for where to watch it, and voila! I decided to give it a try mostly because I really like the lead actor. I discovered him in the story of MinLan and have never looked back since. He is a very talented actor.

I am generally not fond of modern dramas. First, many of them often start with a woman who is bullied by her family, colleagues, or peers at school. Typically, it takes more than half the series for the female lead to get her revenge, only to end up falling for another man while the initial cheater or villain regrets their actions eternally. It's the same old story.

However, because this particular actor was in it, I decided to give it a try, and it turned out to be a good choice.

The drama "Married" does have the classic elements of ‘mistress’ and ‘cheating,’ which are necessary to drive the plot. What makes this story stand out is that it portrays a believable narrative. The characters aren’t strictly good or bad; they are a mix of both.

The central theme is that many women will resonate with the female lead — an ambitious and talented woman who left everything behind when she married an equally ambitious and talented man who ultimately succeeded in his career. It touches on the stereotype of married women who are expected to stay home and raise children. Of course, there’s the typical wake-up call after five to ten years when the husband neglects his wife, leading to the discovery of the ambitious and beautiful mistress working alongside him.

This storyline corresponds with the experiences or feelings of many women, capturing their pride and struggles.

The story is well-constructed and well-acted from beginning to end. One memorable scene is when the husband is released from jail and spends time with his son, and they both cry in each other's arms. He realizes, too late, just how much he missed, and how much his ex-wife sacrificed and loved him and their son.

Again, it's a stereotypical narrative, but the ending was not the happy conclusion everyone might have expected.

(Spoilers)

The couple remained divorced but reached a compromise for the sake of their son. He gave all his shares to his ex-wife to support her in remaining the CEO. He broke up with his mistress for good, recognizing that the age gap and her ambitions did not align with what he wanted for his new life. He became a devoted father and returned to the company, but as a creator rather than the CEO. Meanwhile, his ex-wife managed to balance work and personal life and realized she was falling in love again with another man.

In the end, everyone found peace and moved on, which is often what happens after a divorce.

I definitely recommend this drama!

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A bad trip despite a good plot and a great cast ๐·°(৹˃̵﹏˂̵৹)°·๐

I watched this series because I'm in an "Harem Dramas trip" this days and I really like the 2 leads. However, I had trouble getting through the 36 episodes ๐·°(৹˃̵﹏˂̵৹)°·๐

PLOT: The FL who has a lover (ML2) does everything to escape an arranged marriage with the lord of the land. But she finds herself servant-concubine of the 4th Prince (ML) already provided with a harem full of women, each one more ambitious and devious than the last. The FL will help the ML to confront the fratricidal rivalries within the Court, but will also have to deal with the shenanigans of the harem.

+++ The actors are great (Peter Ho & He Hong Shan, although this CL doesn't have great chemistry) and bring (painfully) a very poorly written story to life.
+++ OST suited to the kind of the series.

### VERY poorly written story, with inconsistent characters.
### Low-budget series (this flaw is very visible, especially the stuffed animals for the hunting scene :)

=> This drama could have been excellent (plot, cast) but the flaws make it just average.
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J'ai regardé cette série parce que je suis dans un trip Harem Dramas en ce moment et que j'aime beaucoup les 2 leads. Cependant, j'ai eu du mal à aller au bout des 36 épisodes ๐·°(৹˃̵﹏˂̵৹)°·๐
PLOT: La FL qui a un lover (ML2) fait tout pour échapper à un mariage arrangé avec le seigneur de la région. Mais elle se retrouve servante-concubine du 4e Prince (ML) déjà pourvu d'un harem rempli de femmes, plus ambitieuses et sournoises les unes que les autres. La FL va aider le ML à affronter les rivalités fratricides au sein de la Cour, mais devra aussi faire face aux manigances du harem.

+++ Les acteurs sont super (Peter Ho & He Hong Shan, bien que ce CL n'aie pas une grande alchimie) et font (péniblement) vivre une story très mal écrite.
+++ OST adaptés au genre de la série.

### Story TRES mal écrite, avec des personnages peu cohérents.
### Série low-budget (ce défaut est très visible, notamment les animaux en peluche pour la scène de chasse :)

=> Ce drama aurait pu être excellent (plot, cast) mais les défauts le rendent juste moyen.

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LI YUN RUI

Ok, I've watched 4 dramas of Li Yun Rui (LLtG, Scene of Love, the Last Immortal, Blossom) and naturally have a great impression of him. Being new in the industry he's doing pretty good although need some polishes to get better. In Blossom he has great visual especially in the first episode where he has grey hair and some great action. I was thinking 'wow...this is good'. When they have misunderstanding & suspicious of each other (ep5) in the storm rainy day, that's great scenes - dramatic backdrop setting. But after ep 18 & the marriage, I am taking a break - them focusing in romance more. Not that I don't like romance, I do, I just don't like too much expose on lovey dovey. The action less frequent than the beginning of the drama.

The cameramen shoot very good angles, perfect caption on the expression of actors faces, nice execution. I think the director is the best asset in Blossom. The story though, same old same these 'reborn to a new beginning after crucial fate in the previous life'. No matter how twist the plots - character come back to reeducate to be better so won't have the same sadly ending. It's kind like of cheating of exams - students know the questions and would have same answers in different deviation. Also it's about dysfunctional family members; mix and match of mean step mother, stupid dad, ambitious uncle, nice grandmother, etc. We know that part and nothing much to appreciate. If C-drama keep doing same thing, I am afraid nothing left to watch.

I don't know in which episode Song Mo (LYR) will start to take some action in revenge of his uncle death. I am watching this up to ep 20 and still no heart to continue it. But I think this is one of the better drama than anything else. Right now, this is it.

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I only write reviews if I think something is too good.

I know this show may seem a hair unconventional, but honestly, I love it so much. It’s kind of giving slow burn but without the slow burn as they are a “fake couple”. The chemistry the two leads have is amazinggggg, it has me giggling and kicking my feet constantly. The only thing I hate is the fact I couldn’t wait until the whole series aired to watch it because GODDD, I hate waiting a whole week to watch. I would’ve had this series finished in two days. I highly recommend if you’re looking for something light ( it’s at least pretty light in the beginning, could get a little messy as it goes on). But I’m sure you’ll be hooked too if you like cute shows like this one.

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Slight spoiler alert, but GO Go Squid is Good & rewatchabl

I know this is YEARS late, and I’ve already rewatched it over and over, but I just had to get my thoughts out there. I really liked this drama, especially the ML and the secondary characters on the teams & the FL friends . The FL did get on my nerves a bit, especially the way she pursued the ML in the beginning, and she is NOT a very realistic kisser. But her personality grew on me as I watched. The ML is so good, though a little too cold and aloof to start off with, that, other than being handsome, I really don’t know why the FL kept pursuing him after he first rejected her. But I could see what an impact she made on the ML as their relationship slowly developed. The other team members and cast were really great.

My biggest character disappointment is the ML grandfather. When he first came on the scene he seemed a little quirky, but soon you could see how he was actively hostile to the Ml, even as the ML became much less cold and stoic as the drama progressed, and even after the FL explained how important the ML’s work on the computer really was (the grandfather always complained how lazy the ML was and that he “played” on his computer instead of getting a “real” job). Up until nearly the end the grandfather always talked critically (and meanly) to the ML, but was totally fine with the ML’s cousin, who was also his grandson and who was on the exact same team and worked under the ML on the team, too, on the computer! The ML was the LEADER of the team and was one of the FOUNDERS of the entire club. I truly believe that part of the reason the ML was so cold in the beginning was that his grandfather was CONSTANT,Y berating him and comparing him to his cousin, whom the grandfather thought was so perfect. There was no animosity between the cousins, however.

Having said that, this is still so much one of my favorite dramas that I actually bought the DVD! The cinematography, the music, the acting was just terrific and the overall quality of this drama Go Go Squid definitely make this worth watching! Highly recommend. Thanks for reading.

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Even In Real Life There Are Main Characters...and Extras

Cough,, the headline isn't too cruel, is it?

Regardless, Single's Inferno was that one dating show that engaged me much more than I'm willing to publicly admit. Season 1 gave me this infatuation for Ji-a, a conviction that Yea-won deserved better and the realization that Se-hun and Si-hun should learn to take a hint. Season 2 reminded me that even flawless girls like my Nadine can be heartbroken , even pretty people can be played hard and the game of love can be won by anyone. Season 3 reminded me how fearsome people in love(?) can be. In the end, I'm pretty sure the producers could write a book detailing the "Art of War: Dating Version" using the 3 seasons as a solid reference, because Single's Inferno is a dating war at its most feverish(yet platonic) point.

I love how, unlike overseas dating shows that tend to be "Episode 1: Making Out", this show and other South Korean dating shows, have people who are evidently more platonic and reserved even at the end. To me, that doesn't take anything away from the show. Single's Inferno gave me a lot more suspense, entertainment and surprise than I was initially betting on. It's the first dating show I've ever watched in my life, and I was pleasantly surprised.

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Ah, yes. My favorite tropes: Mistrustful Acquaintances to Lovers and Chosen Families.

The Drama portrays the struggle of our lead who wants to stay independent without the need of a husband after the disaster her past life was with the same man. And now, with the knowledge of the future in the book given to her before her death, she tries to change the course of the future for the better — for her life, and the life of those she met before her death.

There is familial scheming, political intrigue, chosen families, destined lovers, pressures of the society at the time, and a constant tension and worry about what will happen next. It's gripping and there is never a dull moment!

Our Female Lead is strong, manipulative, emotionally mature, and knows how to protect herself in the political and familiar scheming that surrounds her. Being disillusioned by love after a big betrayal and heartbreak, she does everything in her power to establish herself as financially independent as possible this time around — and promises to live this new chance at life for herself and her own happiness instead of others. And even if some of her attempts to change the course of the future do not go according to plan, she does not give up, and instead adapts and tries again. The actress does a wonderful job in all of her scenes and in all of the character's phases.

Our Male Lead is strong-headed, moved by justice and honor, and even if some of his decisions are violent and cruel, he is still honorable and very gentle with the right people. Seeing the difference between what he could become and who he started as is heartbreaking, and his scenes with his family and friends are lovely and sweet — and just as strong as the heartbreak that comes after. The actor also does a wonderful job here portraying his character's rageful moments and his soft and fond moments too.

The slowburn of their relationship building itself up from mistrust to allies and then something else is lovely to watch, and seeing their views of the other change with time is too. But our FL has no interest and doesn't believe in love anymore, and our ML is hesitant to consider his feelings, because he is searching for someone special that saved his life once.

This drama does not shy away from serious topics and common occurrences that happened during the period it portrays. But even if they do not show them directly, you feel the weight of every scene the characters are talking about it, and you feel for the characters and what they went through to keep true to themselves and what they stand for. Seeing the support the FL's grandmother — who does not want her life to be ruined by marriage as hers was — gives her was enough to make me cry. All of their moments together are very touching and made me emotional multiple times, so if you also adore the trope of Chosen Families and (some) supportive friends and family you will probably enjoy this! The music and the recognizable melody also help build up the emotions in every episode and make everything so good to watch.

There has not been a single boring episode so far and that is hard to do! All actors — even secondary characters — have given their all in their portrayals and the whole OST has been just as lovely. Costume design and fight choreographies also do not disappoint. Emotional moments hit hard and deep, and light and fond moments feel special and sweet. I really can't recommend this drama enough!

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Compared to the first season this one is better. They made justice for the story. Trying to adapt it as much as possible with lesser changes from the original story. Of course it's not full adaptation. Hearing Angela's song from the Donghua just made me love it more. Unfortunately 38 episodes are not enough. I hope they'll make another season and if possible they'll use the same cast. Overall I'd watch it again. And if someone can't wait to know how the story unfolds can watch the Donghua: Soul Land (Douluo Dalu). It's as well not 100% adaptation but the concept is the same.

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Only Here For The Male Lead, Aren't We?

To be brutally honest without sprinkling any sugar, the plot--albeit engaging in the beginning episodes--was very rushed towards the end and so rough around the edges that it became a joke about itself. And when I type this, I'm mostly referring to the last episodes. Especially the ending. Okay, now, on one hand, the ending was very tranquil but on another hand, it left so much unresolved and hanging in the balance that it did not quite feel like an ending. Like, where are the babies? WHERE ARE THE BABIES? AND DID THEY...DO "IT", OR NOT? The open ending left me sad for this was a drama I was so quickly invested in.

The earlier episodes, however, really took me in, especially the bittersweet relationship between the loyal and compassionate Grand Prince Jinhan and his only brother, the hateful and jealous King. However, *sarcastic here* color me surprised, that the show was nothing but carried by the excellent portrayal of the Grand Prince Jinhan/Lee In by Jo Jung-suk. I'm really glad, however, that there was still something to really look forward to in each episode. While the chances of an obvious woman being undeniably taken for male were below zero, JJS's intense gazes and expressive face left no room for doubting the King's heart-melting affection for his one and only love. Even the viewers must have been captivated from the other side of the screen. I was! Besides that, the king's mannerisms, charisma and aura easily commanded respect even from a simple k-drama lover like me. It really did feel like the ruler of Joseon was on my screen.

The antagonists, for example Yoo Hyun-bo and Park Jong-hwan, were more interesting than the characters who were supposedly on the 'good' side--yes, I'm hinting at you, female lead, Kang Hee-soo/Kang Mong-woo. The antagonists were a lot more brutal than I was expecting, though that didn't derail my interest but rather heightened it. Death felt like it was just a next-door neighbor for every character. All the characters felt very real, very medieval. I enjoyed watching the back-and-forth tackle for power amongst the ministers and also between the king and the court, and the overall portrayal of Joseon being in the middle of a conflict between the Qing and Ming.

Things I liked:
+ Jo Jung-suk's incredible portrayal of Grand Prince Jinhan/Lee In(is it Yi In or Lee In?)
+ the young Grand Prince/Crown Prince; he was so cute and respectful; he definitely stole every scene he was in!
+ the constant third wheel, the right-hand man of the king; he was always so done with all the gayness he was seeing lmao
+ Episode 9; after such a long wait, we get not one, not two, not three but FOUR KISSES! Kyaaaa! I was captivated for sure!
+ Court Lady Dong stole my sympathy and heart...she will be remembered always
+ The music and scenery are so pleasant
+ every time Lee In clapped back at his enemies
+ the plot twist that triggered Lee In's crowning as king

Things I disliked:
+ Kang Mong-woo's lack of 'manliness'; everyone has a beard except her, but a beard would not change anything; nonetheless, I do empathize that it would not be easy for a woman to portray a man as convincingly as Park Eun-bin did in The King's Affection
+ The ending was not terrible, but I would have preferred a more conclusive one

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You're that succulent of my life who has soaked up my dry spell!

This drama is a perfect blend of fluff and comedy with a dash of thrill and suspense. Earlier I was complaining about how BLs were lacking in grabbing the attention of the audience with shallow storylines, but after watching this, I am utterly pleased to inform you that it lived up to my expectations wonderfully. 
 
As an introvert, the words I say are lesser than the conversation I have in mind. So Ryoma's inner monologues were very interesting to me, as he finds it hard to express his feelings. There comes Haruto, who has lightened up Ryoma's world while keeping his own darkness inside. It was painful to see Haruto suffering from nightmares and his heartbreaking past. The way they embraced each other throughout their ups and downs warmed my heart. This beautiful partnership has transcended all the hardships.
 
If you come to the comedy part, you'll see whenever Ryoma starts dreaming of becoming the protector of law, suddenly the music changes to something serious and pensive, but when he stops daydreaming, suddenly the atmosphere gets filled with squeaky sounds of his succulents talking—the transition is too funny!
 
Overall it's a fun drama filled with emotions and entertainment combined with some serious situations.  No cringe, neither overly sexualized nor overly cutesy, but just the right amount of everything bound together to give you an exciting plot to look out for.

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