Frustrating and Unlikeable Characters in a Makjang-like Drama

Subjective Entertainment Rating: 7.25

I would never have watched or known of “Fashion King” had it not been the Chaos Clown Cave Chill Challenge and I was assigned this drama as a MLDer’s least favorite. Because of the low rating, I came in with very low expectations. That should be the mentality if you want to watch this, especially, if you are watching this many years later (2024 for me). But I figured, Yoon Ah In is in it, I can deal with that as he’s always been excellent in everything he’s played.

Plot:
Keeping in mind that this is a 2012 drama, I somewhat excused the physical assault, slapping, throwing things and the not very realistic fist fight. “Fashion King” actually ages pretty well and I don’t think it’s very dated. But it’s more makjang than I anticipated.

1/4 of Drama - Makjang-like introductions to all the main characters. Everything that could go wrong for Kang Yeong Gul (Yoon Ah In aka ML1) and Lee Ga Young (Shin Sae Kyeong aka FL1) went wrong. From broken families to kicking out of the house, to all the adventures getting to and in New York - it’s quite ridiculous.

2/4 of the Drama - I am slowly enjoying how things are developed. Relationships between the four main characters are more defined and the business side of things picked up a little. Feelings are developed and there’s some pining and push-and-pull, along with very muddy former relationships between Jung Jae Hyuk (Lee Je Hoon aka ML2) and Choi Anna (Kwong Yu Ri aka FL2). I probably enjoyed these episodes the most.

3/4 of the Drama - Scheming and getting back at each other continued on. Romance is getting complicated and I am slightly impatient as I realized I don’t want to root for anyone. Everyone should remain single as none of them deserves each other. Even though the drama is about the fashion industry, they don’t really dive right in. It’s a very superficial/peripheral attempt. If you don’t like business dramas, then this is a positive thing.

4/4 of the Drama - Thought I would be rewarded with a little happy romance, but no, happy times don’t even add up to 30 mins. The angst and annoyance I put up with throughout the drama, especially when it comes to romance, was not rewarded at all. And that ending, so many plot holes and everything could be resolved with a few honest conversations.

Characters:
I have a very hard time rooting for our 4 main characters. Yeong Gul appears fun and nice, but is scheming and will use you to advance and make money. Ga Young was spunky and stubborn in the first few episodes, but then she resorted to crying or sleeping all the time. Jae Hyuk is a chaebol man-child who is petty and somewhat naive, but also mean. Anna is a pitiful ex who’s trying to grasp onto something and not sink. If you like flawed characters who make questionable decisions with unclear intentions, then you would love them. For me, I am 70% frustrated and 30% entertained.

Romance:
The only somewhat consistent feelings in this drama are from Ga Young to Yeong Gul. She has liked him from the very beginning. But towards the end, I questioned if she also has some feelings for Jae Hyuk because she’s bad with boundaries. She might say NO (and sometimes says nothing), but her actions might say otherwise. Or maybe deep down she’s enjoying all the affection Jae Hyuk has for her. Jae Hyuk is like a high school boy who shows affection for his classmate by being mean to her. He would make sarcastic remarks all the time, then give you a smile and then run towards you to apologize and make nice. He does not know how to love properly. I couldn’t tell if he still had feelings for Anna in the earlier episodes. Was he unable to show or he’s just using her? I would have liked to believe that Anna did indeed love Jae Hyuk in the beginning. But how she was discarded like trash broke her and drove her towards Yeong Gul. But her affections for Yeong Gul are probably not 100% sincere. She needed a life jacket, and she found one in Yeong Gul. Yeong Gul, once recognizes his feelings, is the easiest to spot and the more cliche lover. He wants to give Ga Young everything he has, wants payback for those who mistreat her and wants to give her all the best. Yet, of course, he doesn’t use words. If he and Ga Young actually talk to each other, I would not be so frustrated.

Acting:
Yoo Ah In really keeps me in this drama. He’s just so charismatic and I can’t help but draw to him. He’s not the typical handsome type, but no matter what drama he’s in, he’s the center of the attention. I love his acting here. Amazingly, I found Lee Je Hoon paled in comparison to Yoo Ah In a little. Probably because his character is a little more pitiful. But his character also allows him to show much more range than the other 3 main leads. Visually, he does not have the swagger for a rich Director and he walks funny. Shin Sae Kyeong is so pretty and young. But she always has the same crying face. I am not sure if it’s the writing of the character or her acting, I get annoyed when she just stands there and not says anything, and acts all shy. Kwong Yu Ri is so beautiful. She really does give off the high class designer vibe, and the subtle bitchiness in the way she walks and talks.

Fashion:
When the drama is about fashion, they better have some good fashion. And I am having a grand type admiring Yeong Gul’s eclectic and loud style, and also nice tailored suits. As I said, Yoo Ah In looks sexy and dashing in this drama. The ladies also have beautiful outfits. I like Ga Young’s casual style and work outfits, and Anna’s more high-end fashion. But Jae Hyuk in the earlier episodes looks like he’s wearing a suit a size too big for him. I have to say, Lee Je Hoon ages well. He looks more handsome in his 30s than in his 20s.


Ending:
I was going to talk about the ending, but decided to keep this spoiler-free as there are many other reviews about this disappointment. Let’s just say it’s not that hard to locate someone, or give someone a call and not rely on regular postal service completely. Communication can solve a lot of problems.


Overall, this is an interesting watch. I am not sure if I will recommend this drama when there are much better ones out there. Maybe if you are a fan of Yoo Ah In and you miss him now that he’s blacklisted? In a way, the entertainment value to ‘hate-watch’ is quite high for me. I am tempted to rate this much lower just because everyone hates it. But subjectively, it’s a 7.25 and I’m rounding this up to 7.5 to boost the rating a little. Though the characters frustrate me and it’s hard for me as a romance lover to not feel rewarded, this drama is still entertaining in a way and keeps me focused pretty well.


Completed: 1/20/2024 - Review #397

Leia Mais

Unsatisfying execution of an interesting plot; Lacking romantic chemistry

Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75

I am sure I am not the only one who read the synopsis of “Moon in the Day” and liked it, especially for fantasy romance lovers. The plot looks interesting and the male lead is the handsome Kim Young Dae, so I gave it a shot despite mixed reviews. Although the drama is not horrible, the execution and storytelling could have been better. It is wasted potential.

I quite enjoyed the first half of the drama, and dare I say, I liked the dynamics of the leads in the present-day storyline more than the past. Their encounter, the unfolding of the events, and how the leads get to know each other, are all fun to me. It was decently paced as well. But as we entered the second half of the drama, the pacing slowed down and I started to lose a little interest in the present-day timeline. There’s a whole lot of talking (repetitive themes) but not a lot of action. This is when I become more invested in their past lives. The leads’ story and romance slowly unfolded, and though with controlled and conservative emotions, I believed in their tragic love and felt their feelings for each other.

Unfortunately, I do not feel the chemistry between the leads in the present timeline. The romance is too slow burn and there isn't enough shown or conveyed to make me feel that they have fallen in love with each other again. But the time they outwardly expressed their feelings, it was too late and too superficial. Their romance did not move me. The only time I was sad and cried was in the last episode.

The pace is slower in the second half and people seem to talk a lot slower (in both timelines). It also doesn’t help that the formerly miraculous firefighting heroine slowly becomes a damsel in distress. How many times is she going to trip, fall, get into an accident and need someone to help her out. Where was her fire fighting training? Isn’t she an athlete that could fight and protect herself? On the other hand, the villain can do no wrong. No one could ever catch him, and he has all these resources to pull the strings behind the scene. The cops are as useless as ever.

The acting is not bad. But I’ve seen Kim Young Dae acted better in “The Forbidden Marriage” and had much better chemistry with his co-star. Apparently I’ve seen Pyo Ye Jin in several of her past dramas but I had no recollection of her. Her character allows her to convey more emotions than Kim Young Dae, thus, it seems like her acting is better. . The rest of the cast did fine. The veterans definitely shine more than the younger main cast. Lee Kyung Young as ML’s father is awesome and Jung Woong In never disappoints when he plays a villain.

Overall, this is not a must-watch but do so if you are a fan of the leads, or if you are a really big fan of fantasy romance. I am OK with the ending and feel that it’s quite reasonable. I might not have guessed the result of the end of the present-day timeline perfectly, but I definitely anticipated how the whole drama ended in the last couple minutes. It’s actually quite typical for this genre.


Completed: 1/15/2024 - Review #396

Leia Mais

Short but Sweet - Captures the Fun and the Feels

I saw a few posts on the feeds praising “ BL Drama no Shuen ni Narimashita: Crank Up Hen”, so I decided to check it out. I’m glad I did. It’s an adorable drama about unrequited love in the world of filming a BL. Japan is known for some of the cutest and fluffiest BL dramas, along with some quirky ones.

I really like being able to hear each male lead’s inner monologues. Oftentimes, you only get one perspective and maybe another perspective in the very last episode. These monologues greatly enhanced my viewing pleasure during both comedic and more emotional scenes. I also appreciate that both characters are pretty similar in personality. I was worried that Hajime is the typical naive, innocent and introverted character, and would be too shy to utter any word. Luckily, he was just starstruck in the beginning, and is able to actually hold a conversation like a normal person. Akafuji, on the other hand, is not the typical superstar but a crazy stan. I feel that because they have a pretty balanced personality, they are on equal footing in regards to their romance.

This drama special starts with a lot of comedic and typical Japanese over-the-top manga adaptation moments. But eventually it dives into the emotional side of each character. One of the reasons I really enjoy this special is because it has 2 of my favorite things - unrequited love + those mini heartaches, and the guessing of whether he likes me or not. Both of these elements give me all the feels I need and especially in a manga adaptation comedy.

The acting of the leads is good. There isn’t anyone annoying or super loud. I do find the suits too big on the guys and they look too old in these oversized suits. Does anyone find Hajime in glasses looks like Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter? LOL. Ok, maybe it’s just me.

This is a short 3-episode fun watch with a lot of laughs, a lot of feels and a lot of cuteness.


Completed: 1/14/2024 - Review #395

Leia Mais

A decent rom-com of unrequited love and second-chance romance. Miles Wei does what he does best.

Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75

I am a fan of unrequited-love-turned-romance and also second-chance romance. So, “I May Love You” is the perfect drama for me at the moment. It’s an easy-to-watch rom-com to kill time.

I have conflicting feelings about the female lead, Tang Xin. Her first introduction to us viewers isn’t quite what I was hoping for and I was a little worried. She appeared to be obsessed with ML, Tang Yu, a little stalkerish with her wall of photos, and seemed to be a little clingy. I understand she’s been in love with Tang Yu for 4 years, but still, those pictures creeped me out. But on the other hand, I liked her assertiveness and her straightforwardness when confessing her love. I might not agree with her dishonesty in a way, but also understand where she’s coming from. Luckily, I like her more when stood her ground and focuses on her career. She let Tang Yu grovel and try to win her love without giving in too easily.

I love seeing a male lead miss his chance of love and have to grovel and win the affection of the female lead. However, that push-and-pull and Tan Xin’s stubbornness lasted too long. It was fun at first, but then towards the middle of the drama, it became very repetitive and I slowly lost interest in the main romance. I eventually just look forward to the secondary romance, which is cute and sweet. I adore that couple and wanted more screen time for them.

Miles Wei is the usual Miles Wei. He has played similar roles many times, but you can’t deny he looks quite handsome. At least he is not a total cold CEO and does show his lovable side once he’s in love. I know this is not a big budget production, but they have got to give Miles Wei and Huo Chen Dong better suits to wear. Their suits look like UNFINISHED products from fashion design students, or unfinished products from Project Runway contestants when they ran out of time after Tim Gunn told them to stop. They are ridiculous! Miles can use a few more suits and not repeatedly wear the same ones. He’s the CEO of a film production company afterall. The makeup of the female lead isn't that great either. Her foundation is too white but her lips are too bright. On the other hand, 2FL looks really pretty.

On a positive note, there are many lovable characters in this drama and no annoying ones. I adored ML’s mother and his sister. They are so cute and are the best wingwoman for ML. I was worried the sister would be another annoying spoiled princess, but she’s so lovely. We only have good and supportive parents, and good and supportive friends.

Aside from the mid-drama slow pacing due to the back-and-forth of the main romance, this is a pretty decent and light-hearted drama to watch. I don’t think it’s a realistic portrayal of the industries, so don’t think too hard but enjoy a cute and fluffy drama, with decent quality and number of kisses and an adorable supporting cast.


Completed: 1/12/2024 - Review #393

Leia Mais

Being a Martyr is a RED flag!

“Usokon” features a pretty common fake marriage/relationship trope. It doesn’t give us anything unique but does offer a comforting, familiar and cute contract relationship. This is a pretty easy watch and very binge-able. The pacing is good for a short drama (12 episodes, 20 minutes each).

Takumi (ML) and Yae (FL) are both likable characters, well, only to a certain extent for the female lead. Their contract relationship is fun and interesting, and the chemistry is pretty good. I was rooting for them all along. The first two episodes hooked me in, especially when we see the perspectives from both leads. Except for one annoying ex who showed up towards the end, the rest of the supporting cast contributes and supplements the main romance/plot pretty well. Acting is not too over-the-top for a J-drama.

The drama was going so well until the last few episodes when they introduced ML’s ex-girlfriend to the story. What a nosedive! The biggest issue is how Yae dealt with the meeting with the ex. Yae already has this martyr-like annoying personality when she was first introduced (such a big red flag). I thought there would be character development for her and she would behave less like a martyr. But no, she continues on to make one of the dumbest decisions ever, when it was made VERY clear to her how Takumi feels. At this point, I don’t think she deserves Takumi at all.

It’s really unfortunate because I was enjoying this drama so much, right up to this point. I like how the childhood friends reconnected, getting involved in the fake marriage, trying to keep this a secret, faking it in front of everyone, slowly falling in love and even the return of the other childhood best friend. All these are the makings of a classic fake relationship and I am eating all this fluff and cuteness up.

Unfortunately, I need to dock points because I was annoyed how it all went down in flames in the last few episodes.


Completed: 10/14/2023 - Review #366

Leia Mais

Perfect for Romance Lovers - Light and fluffy drama with a few good kisses and natural hugs.

It’s hard not to compare “Exclusive Fairytale” to “When I Fly Towards You” since both dramas star the same main actress, Zhang Miao Yi, came out in 2023, and are both coming-of-age, high school to adulthood dramas. I think “Exclusive Fairytale” is a more rom-com-like drama with more (not a lot) adult jokes and content. “When I Fly Towards You” is more slice-of-life, sweet and pure teen drama. Both dramas have very sweet and green flag MLs , are very likable and low-stress, and are perfect for when you are looking for something light and sweet.

Main actress, Zhang Miao Yi, has a very similar role in both dramas, and she’s very good at it. It’s a talent to be able to play such a teenage character and not be annoyingly cute or naive. She’s perfect for the role. I really enjoy her dynamic with male lead, Ling Chao. They are childhood friends and have been together since they are little. Friends-to-lovers is one of my favorite tropes and I really enjoy their bickering but caring friendship, to sweet and fluffy romance. However, I did find the transition from friends to lovers a little fast. I would have liked to see more of Ling Chao’s perspective during his year away from Xiao Tu, and how he really couldn’t wait for Xiao Tu to join him. Nevertheless, their chemistry is great with lots of kisses and skinship. For us romance lovers, we are blessed with some pretty good kissing and very natural hugging and hand holding.

It’s my first time watching Jun in a drama, and I have no idea who he is. Apparently he’s a Korean pop idol, but has quite an acting resume before he turned an idol. I find his acting a little stiff in the beginning for the drama, but he seems to have gradually relaxed and performed much better later on. I couldn’t tell, but was he the pop idol that Jiang Juan Juan chases? I can’t tell from the posters since I don’t follow Jun’s kpop life. I think Jun’s fans would be happy with his performance, and he looks quite handsome both as a teen and as an adult. Well, we also had a fan service shower scene and him acting ‘sexy’ (it was hilarious). Not sure if fans like how enthusiastic he was with his kisses. LOL

The secondary romance is lovely as well. These friends have enough screen time to tell their story but not too much that they take the spotlight away from the leads. Jiang Juan Juan is a typical secondary female lead in a teen drama. She’s the best friend that we all want in life. Jia Si Wen is the adorkable and nerdy student who falls for the outgoing girl. I quite like the portrayal of their romance and their challenges. I find the drama handles their relationship quite maturely and realistically compared to other secondary romance in a youth drama.

This is also a lovely drama with super adorable and supportive parents. Both sets of parents have been friends and want them to get together (except FL’s dad with some reservations). They reminded me of the family dynamic in “Go Ahead” of how close the two dads were in the drama, and how close the parents are in this drama. ML’s mom is more impatient and can’t help but try to teach Ling Chao how to pursue Xiao Tu. The rest of the supporting cast is lovely as well. We have a very sweet high school teacher who is smart enough to use jokes and sarcasm in communicating with the kids. The college dorm mates are fun and also don’t take up too much of the screen time. They are there to advance the plot. I appreciate the drama in not force-feeding us side romance plots in pairing up all the dorm mates with a love interest.

The pacing for this 24-episode drama is pretty good. However, at one point, I do wish the high school days would be over soon. Those days were OK but I wanted to move faster so that I can see how romance develops in college. We all know nothing can really happen in high school, and there aren’t enough ‘romantic’ scenes between the leads. There are only a few side glances from the male lead and not quite enough romantic undertones for me. Besides the usual high school stuff, this part of the drama is predictable.

I would recommend this drama if you are looking for something with no angst, no misunderstanding, sweet and fluffy with a decent amount of skinship. There aren’t any big plot twists but sometimes, you just need something comforting to watch. This is exactly the type of drama I need at this moment, and I have a very enjoyable time watching it.


Other Random Observations:
1. Don’t think I’ve ever seen a ML kneeled down, let FL sit on his knee while he wipes poop off her shoe!
2. I love the final high school montage with a quick reminder of the high school scenes. The monologue is a little cringey though.
3. The coordinates of the heart-shaped island is so cute and romantic. Reminds me of the math formula in “Put Your Head on My Shoulder”.
4. The flashback of ML’s “surgery” is unexpected in a youth drama and hilarious!
5. Was that the high school teachers and their kids watching the fireworks?



Completed: 9/23/2023 - Review #358

Leia Mais

A decent watch for a low budget web drama

“Love Class 2” is an impulse watch on Viki and I really didn’t have high expectations. I also did not watch the first season. I know this is a lower budget web drama with novice actors. So, I was pleasantly surprised that the acting is not half-bad and the drama is a little less cutesy than I imagined. The drama follows 3 couples and their romance stories.

Lee Hyun reunited with his former tutor and crush, Kim An in college. Kim An disappeared out-of-the-blue 2 years ago and Lee Hyun has been trying to find him. Their story is unexpected in a way that it was more serious and less fluffy than I thought. The reason why Kim An disappeared and his relationship with a ‘family’ member are interesting and developed well enough given this is a very short drama. The acting for these 3 aren’t bad, but I was quite disappointed in their kiss scenes. LOL. I guess because J-min/Lee Hyun is an idol?

Min Woo and Ma Roo are best friends, and Min Woo had a crush on this BFF for a very long time. Unrequited love is one of my favorite tropes, so I am happy to follow their journey. The story is simple and predictable, but not bad. Acting was only so-so for these two young actors. I find Ma Roo overacted and Min Woo underacted. They do make up for the amazing kiss scenes that were somewhat unexpected. I didn’t think shy Min Woo had it in him to give me that. ;)

Last but not the least, Joo Hyuk, college senior, fell in love with teaching assistant Sung Min, at first sight. Joo Hyuk is quite persistent and launched his courting attack on Sung Min quite early on in the drama. I was a little less invested in their story, compared to the other two. I didn’t think Sung Min, who is the oldest of all the characters, would appear to be the most inexperienced in love. I guess you can also call his confusion cute. But this older couple does not disappoint in the kissing and intimacy department. I am not going to say it’s not a little fan service during their intimate scenes, but nonetheless, I am glad to see Korean BLs are not as shy in that area (still not as provocative as Thai BL, but it’s an improvement).

The last episode is totally fan service and not necessary. They could have wrapped everything up in episode 9. Overall, for a low budget web drama, it’s pretty decent with acceptable acting from the young and inexperienced cast. Oh, the actual class is interesting and I bet it’s the most popular class on campus.


Completed: 9/10/2023 - Review #352

Leia Mais

Could have been good BUT ruined by poor editing, plot holes and illogical actions.

I didn't have high expectations when I first started watching “Miss Truth”. I was just in the mood. A female lead who loves to do autopsy? Sounds good! However, even with low expectations, I am greatly disappointed. The drama started out promising and had a fun first half. But then I don’t know what happened in the second half. The editing was horrible and there were so many illogical things happened. Was the drama slated for a lot longer and then got cut by censorship? Or just bad writing and editing?


Acting
This is female lead Zhou Jie Qiong’s first drama, and she did fine. I don’t find her character too annoying and she wasn’t too bad. Toby Lee probably wins the prize for acting in this drama, and he wasn’t exceptional either. His face and expressions look funny when he’s supposed to be angry. But I enjoy his bantering with the female lead. Unfortunately, Tim Pei is the most disappointing for me. I understand he’s a cold assassin, but he’s completely emotionless throughout the drama. He did not improve at all! Even when he’s faced with the love of his life, he still has dead and bored eyes. The rest of the supporting cast isn’t too good either, and that includes some of the veterans. The minor roles are the worst and watching them act is difficult. The thing that bugs me the most is there’s no subtle acting. You get that “wink wink” acting with the eyes to convey to the audience openly what is going to happen. There are too many occasions like that and I blame the director for it.

Romance
I initially really enjoyed the bantering between Ran Yan (FL) and Xiao (Song). It’s a lot of fun watching them argue and solve crimes together. Su Fu as the second male lead is also the type of character I like. In another drama, Su Fu could be the main lead. Both Xiao Song and Su Fu love noble idiocy and also show their love by doing a lot of things behind-the-scenes for Ran Yan. However, this love triangle lasted way too long and I was tired of it. I just want Ran Yan to decisively pick one guy and stick with it. But misunderstandings and noble idiocy take center stage in the romance department and the chemistry between the three of them disappears. There aren’t enough sweet and cute scenes, and the sad/heartbreaking scenes do not move me. For a romance junkie like me, romance really disappoints me.

Crime Investigations
The autopsies and investigations are my favorite parts. I am sure what Ran Yan said during the autopsies are not 100% true, but these are some fun scenes. The mysteries are interesting and they are all tied to the big mystery and plot about the pearl and treasures. Execution is the problem. If you are worried about dead bodies and gore, the drama doesn’t really show the details of the autopsies.

Plot Holes/Editing
As I mentioned, the second half is just weird. Scenes seemed to have been edited out. I was expecting the drama to show me what will happen next, but instead I was shown the result. There are so many illogical things that happened and many plot holes.
* A spoiled brat villain knew acupuncture? No way she could learn that in record time and all the characters let her poke needles on someone who everyone cares for.
* It seems like a commoner can go in and out of the palace with no problem. Oh, you can even argue with the King and consequences are an afterthought.
* A man can also enter a princess bedroom in the middle of the night, question her about a crime and can walk out unscathed. * The princess barely scolded him and left the room after being confronted.
* With the three intelligent leads gather together, no one thought of preventing assassins/culprits from committing suicide in front of them when so many of them died in front of them?
* The ending of the two leads - can they really see each other like that?

Production Quality
This appears to be a low budget production. It might not bother many viewers, but it bothered me that I see cheap clothing that is oversized and looks super heavy, draped on the actors' and actresses’ tiny bodies. The accessories, sets and ornaments all look very cheap. This has to be one of the sparsely- and cheaply-decorated palaces I’ve seen in a Chinese drama. While I appreciate actors using their own voices, the post production dubbing is inconsistent. There are times I wonder if what I heard is the actor’s internal monologue, or the audio/lines spoken and the lips are not matching.


I would not recommend this drama, unfortunately. Maybe it’s just me as I had a very hard time finishing it and it failed to hold my attention throughout the 36 episodes. The drama did have closure but also left it open for another season. The drama was shot in late 2018 and aired in 2020. As of this review in 2023, season 2 is nowhere in sight.


Completed: 8/6/2023 - Review #338

Leia Mais

Solid drama with good acting and production value; but the storytelling and editing could be better

This is going to be a shorter review but I recommend reading PeachBlossomGoddess’ excellent review especially if you want some background information.

I was a fan of the two movies “Brotherhood of Blades” and I found them to be much more exciting than “Pledge of Allegiance”. If you want to watch them, I believe you can start with the reverse chronological order of production;

1. Pledge of Allegiance (2023-Drama)
2. Brotherhood of Blades 2 (2017-Movie)
3. Brotherhood of Blades (2014-Movie)

Quick thoughts:
1. I enjoy the acting of Leon Zhang and Chen Ruo Xuan. I wasn’t expecting much but I think they exceeded my expectations. Actually, the overall acting is pretty good.
2. I enjoy the fight scenes. There aren’t many, but the ones they have are choreographed well and show great close contact, hand-to-hand, sword-to-sword combat. This also exceeded my expectations and are on par with the quality of the two movies (the movies’ action scenes are still better).
3. I wasn’t confused with the story or timeline, but I was a little confused with the names in the beginning. Names of government officials were thrown at me left and right without seeing the faces of these characters. Thus, it took me a while to relate each name to the event that happened 10 years ago.
4. Bromance/Brotherhood is interesting. Reminds me a little bit of the frenemies/best buddy relationship in the K-drama “My Country:The New Age”. The leads care for each other, trust in each other, yet the decisions they make oftentimes don’t seem that way.
5. Getting stabbed in the chest or close to the heart is no big deal in this drama.
6. It rains all the time at night.
7. So many secrets, schemes and lies. It’s hard to decipher the true intentions of each character. But after a while, this becomes repetitive.
8. I enjoy the natural makeup and no white filter.
9. I like that the actors are using their own voices, and there seems to be live recording.
10. Not enough excitement to keep me on the edge of my seat. Pace is somewhat slow. I was a little bored.

Despite liking many things about this drama, I can’t seem to muster excitement when watching this. Therefore, on a personal enjoyment level, this is a solid 8.0 and not an 8.5


Completed: 6/6/2023 - Review #315

Leia Mais

Amazing Friendship, Exciting Badminton scenes but dragged down by Outsiders' side plot

“Racket Boys” is one of those dramas that is universally praised as amazing. To have an 8.8 MDL rating is no small feat. It has been on my PTW for a long time but I just couldn’t find the right mood to start watching it. Even now, it took me two tries to get into it. I blame this on a slow first episode and not a very fun start. But nonetheless, this is a great drama but with some areas I am not a fan of. Let’s start with what I don’t like first.

What I Have Mixed Feelings and Don’t Like:

1. Slow Start - As mentioned, it took me 2 tries to get into it. The introduction of Papa/Coach Yoon is not really that exciting. He does not seem like someone I want to root for but of course, I expect some type of character development later on. Nonetheless, the first 15-20 mins did not suck me in, but I persisted and binge-watched the rest with no problem.

2. Villagers/Adult Storylines - This ‘negative” is the main reason I am not rating “Racket Boys” 9.0+. I like the story of all the villagers interacting, caring and loving our young badminton players. But I fast forwarded all the scenes regarding the City hikers and the redevelopment. I don’t care for them, and they have nothing to do with my beloved players. In fact, those scenes happen during exciting badminton matches and cutting back-and-forth between villagers and matches annoy me big time. The drama could have given me more screen time for the players and for me to get to know their backgrounds/families more. I do like some of the villagers' storylines, especially with Grandma and her playroom and the mural.

3. The White Wolf - I don’t dislike the White Wolf storyline but am not sure how I feel about him being away from the boys in the latter episodes to wrap up the story of the other player. I knew we would eventually see this player on the screen since his name was mentioned so frequently throughout the drama. I just feel if we take away that side plot, it would not have made a difference.


What I Like:

1. Racket Boys - I love all the boys! They are the stars of the show and the reason why everyone loves the drama. They each have distinct personalities and complement each other so well. I love that the drama focuses on their friendships and how they support each other through disappointments, rivalries and successes. There’s no jealousy or childish arguments. They are a joy to watch! I enjoy the rivalries between teams and that nothing really malicious happens.

2. Yoon Hae Kang - Hae Kang is an interesting male lead and I enjoy watching his development. He appears cocky and arrogant, but deep down he is the sweetest kid with a kind and gentle soul. That becomes evident right from the start of his introduction to viewers. He works hard for the scholarship and never brings up how poor his family is. He is always so sweet to his younger sister and immediately shows his kindness when he first moves to the village and meets Grandma Ki. It’s lovely following his journey of being a lone wolf to be the best of friends with other players is heartwarming. Personally, I would like to see him pitch a few innings to show me what an amazing ace he was, but we never got the chance.

3. Badminton Play - If you are a fan of badminton, this is an excellent drama. There are so many badminton scenes and matches, and all look so good and realistic. In the first episode, I thought the badminton play was a little subpar compared to “Love all Play'' and “Nothing But You”. But these are middle schoolers and college or pro players. But after the initial episodes, the badminton play improves a lot. It shows the hard work all actors put into their training. I love all the badminton scenes. However, I can also see some viewers might find these scenes a little excessive.

4. Other Characters - Aside from the Racket Boys, I also enjoy watching the coaches' stories. I knew Coach Yoon had to improve after the first episode, and I am glad to be right. He has changed as a coach and it’s nice to see the hard work he put into coaching the kids. It's nice to see the opposite of Papa Yoon, his wife, Coach Ra. Their styles are so different, and their journey of growth as a coach is different. The two female players might have a smaller role, but they are in no way inferior to the boys. In fact, the drama shows us the top female player of the country in Han Se Yoon. Even the villagers are sweet and caring. Oftentimes we see villagers or country folks as boisterous and irritating and I am glad that none of them are annoying to me.

5. Guest Stars - Since the writer of “Racket Boys” is the same writer for “Prison Playbook”, it’s probably not that hard to invite PP actors to guest star in this drama. It’s lovely to see so many of them just showing up for a scene/episode here and there. Hey, if Lee Kyu Hyung is reprising his role in PP, I am very happy that he’s moving to the countryside 😉

Overall, this is an excellent drama about these young badminton players. It’s a story about friendship and growth first and foremost. I strongly recommend this if you are a sports or badminton fan, or a lover of such teen dramas.


Completed: 6/3/2023 - Review #314

Leia Mais

Mr. Walking Green Flag with amazing chemistry with FL - BUT draggy, illogical and repetitive plots.

Subjective Gut Rating 7.75 (all because I love the leads chemistry)

There are elements of “Flash Marriage” that I love to pieces and then there are others that bored me to death. I was initially attracted to this because I am a fan of contract marriages. But mid-way through the drama, I realized the contract marriage parts that I love are not the main focus of “Flash Marriage”. The focus is on revenge and siblings/family rivalry.


What I Love:

1. Mr. Walking Green Flag/Pokpong - I am so surprised to find a Lakorn male lead who is funny, sweet, considerate, smart, quick-thinking with good comebacks, patient, kind, makes good decisions, can fight and acts like just a regular guy. Where do you find a guy like that in dramaland, and not just Thai dramas? I am not physically attractive to the actor, Tono, but I am in love with his character as Pokpong. The best part is that his personality remains consistent throughout the drama. He does not lose himself when he’s in love. Is he too perfect? Probably but I don’t care. LOL

2. Leads Chemistry - The chemistry and romantic journey between Pokpong (ML) and Lalin (FL) are what keep me going. Otherwise, I might have dropped the drama midway. They are so cute together. I bet the actors have a lot of fun shooting this drama. I can see them grinning, smirking and couldn’t hold their laughter in some of the scenes, e.g. exercising together to get ready for childbirth, or when they were both in the tub together. There are quite a few suggestive flirty sexy humor sprinkled here and there, and they are so funny. The only thing missing are good kisses. Argh…. I wish we got some passionate kisses but FL doesn’t seem to want to move her lips much. Oh well…

3. Smart characters - Aside from Pokpong, Lalin is a pretty smart woman as well. She’s feisty and is not afraid of a challenge or danger. Though the other family members couldn’t figure out who the other villain is, most of them are actually not too dumb. There are some dumb decisions made, but mainly due to the writing (more about that below) and not the intelligence of the characters per se.

4. Best Friends - Love the BFFs!! Tat (ML’s bff) is hilarious. He’s our go-to comic relief guy but he’s always there for Pokpong, no matter what crazy and last-minute requests Pokpong asks of him. Fang (Lalin’s bff) is the other comic relief, along with her husband, Korn. Though their screen time is limited, they are there for Lalin despite not knowing the full story and are asked to do something dangerous. It’s so nice to have great supportive friends.

5. ML’s parents - A set of amazing, funny and supportive parents in lakorns! No wonder ML is such a walking green flag, and that’s probably contributed to the upbringing by these wonderful parents.

6. Comedy - I have a love/hate relationship with Thai humor. Oftentimes, I find it too over-the-top and cringey. However, I love the comedic moments in “Flash Marriage”. They are a little crazy, but they are not prolonged, thus reducing the cheesy factor. You can somewhat expect when the funny moments will happen, e.g. with the two BFFs and their interaction with leads, and when the main leads are together. They hit you with the funny bits and then move on without dragging the second-hand embarrassing moments out. I kind of miss some of these moments when the plot becomes more serious and draggy.

7. Fashion - The women are all wearing sexy, skin tight dresses. They look beautiful, especially our female lead, but they don’t seem to be too work appropriate. FL has so many off-shoulder dresses. The guys look handsome in suits, and our male lead looks great in casual wear, a tank top, a leather jacket, a suit, or nothing. LOL.


What I Dislike:

1. Too Much, Too Repetitive - I think the drama tries to do too much. It started out as 1) romantic comedy about contract marriages and romance, then 2) it becomes sibling and family rivalry to see who would be the President of the company, then 3) it becomes how dysfunctional the family is the the weird way a father shows his love to his children, and 4) finally the plot of revenge (businesses and personal attacks). The writers cramp so much in 17 episodes, yet I still find everything to be draggy and repetitive. There is the same repetitive scheming to kick ML out the door, FL feeling unloved by everyone in her family, crazy family members saying crazy things to each other, and attempted murders with the most useless assassins hired. The drama can probably tell a much tighter and better story in 12-14 episodes.

2. Illogical writing - I am not sure if it’s the writing or it’s just part of the lakorn-viewing experience, it’s really hard for me to see these people being chased by the bad guys, and you stop and look back. Shouldn’t you run for your life? Why would you stop, pause and wait for them to come at you? Additionally, once you escape into your car, shouldn’t the first thing you do is to lock your door, turn on the engine and get the hell out of there as soon as possible? Why would you just sit there with doors unlocked and try to make a call? With all the chaos that’s going on with the revenge plot, I cannot fathom not bringing the cops in to help you. You are risking everyone’s life, and you still think you can do it all when the other parties are stalking you and hiring assassins (though they are useless). It seems like the weapon of choice is a piece of wood, much better than guns. Even the ladies could pick up a piece of wood and beat up men who are stronger and have guns in their hands. Killing people in broad daylight is no big deal. There is never anyone around and the cops are nowhere to be seen.

3. No work - The drama spends so much time talking about fighting to be the President, yet I hardly see Lalin or Nat (sister) work. I would have liked to see some business dealings and showcase their professional side. If they were to fight, show me they deserve the title. All I see are cat fights and jealousy.


The repetitive and draggy plots plus the illogical writing really affected my viewing pleasure. I was so close to giving up but I stayed because of the two main leads. I love their chemistry and fun interactions too much. I wish this is more of a contract-marriage romantic comedy and not all the other stuff. Do I recommend this? Mm… I can’t whole-heartedly say yes. Is it a horrible drama? Not, not really. It really depends on what you are looking for and know what to expect. For me, it didn’t meet my expectation of a fun contract-marriage drama, so I am slightly disappointed. I am rounding my rating UP to an 8.0 instead of down to a 7.5, because of Mr. Walking Green Flag. 🙂


Completed: 5/29/2023 - Review #312

Leia Mais

Keep me guessing the secret identities in the beginning but the main romance lets me down.

Subjective Gut Rating - 7.75

The romance in “The Secret Romantic Guesthouse” isn’t that romantic. I think the title is giving me false hopes.

Let’s do a quick fire bullet-point review;

1. Supposedly smart leads making dumb decisions - Is that really a good idea to send a secret message by throwing it over the wall into the pond, when anyone can pick it up?? Why would you leave an ornament by the grave for others to find and know that you are alive?
2. The secret identity was kept for 8 years and all of a sudden, everyone found out. People can't keep their mouths shut.
3. The main romance is not working for me. I don't feel the chemistry and am not moved by their challenges. Ryeoun is cute and has boyish charms, but his acting is not as good as the other two male leads. He also lacks charisma.
4. I much prefer the sister's story and romance.
5. Kang Hoon as Kim Shi Yeol is probably my favorite character. I think his acting is the best out of the 3 male leads.
6. First half of the story is interesting and kept me guessing their identities. The bromance/brotherhood is fun and interesting. I love the family feel.
7. Then the pace becomes slower when the secret is revealed. It continues to be moderately slow through all the politics.
8. Well, at least there is no annoying character and the overall acting is quite good, esp the veterans.
9. Does this drama need to be 18-episode long? At least you don’t have a rushed ending.
10. The crazy king is entertaining and the actor did a pretty good job.
11. No fish kisses!

Do I recommend this? Only if you are a fan of the actors and you have time to kill. It’s not bad, but also not as good as I thought it would be.


Completed: 5/24/2023 - Review #310

Leia Mais

Watch if you are a fan of the Leads and their Chemistry

Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75

Bringing back the team from “Mysterious Love”, hot male lead Tsao Yu Ning, female lead Yilla Yu and second male lead Wu Hao Ze joined forces in “Love of Replica”. This drama was listed as a sequel to “Mysterious Love” but you can treat this as its own entity. My review does do some comparison between the two dramas.

The similarities of the two dramas:
1. Tsao Yu Ning is as sexy and hot as ever. You can’t deny those muscles and abs.
2. Tsao Yu Ning plays the role of a bodyguard in both dramas.
3. Yilla Yu and Tsao Yu Ning continue to have great chemistry and good kisses.
4. I am still not a fan of the secondary romance, but this is at least better than the annoying one in “Mysterious Love”.

For a 16-episode drama, it is weird for me to say that I find the pace slow in the middle and I got a little bored. The mystery does not hold my attention and there aren't enough action scenes. I actually find the plot in “Mysterious Love” a lot more engaging. A few weird plot holes and I don’t really buy the reason for Xu Xi Xi’s deteriorated health. I find the ‘thriller’ part very questionable and laughable (?).

I also dislike all the slow-motion romantic scenes. They become annoying fast. There are also quite a few flashbacks that I don’t need to be reminded of so frequently. This might also be because I was binge-watching, so it might not affect everyone. The romance also seems a little cheesier and less mature than “Mysterious Love”.

On a positive note, the acting is not bad. You can tell apart when FL is Xu Xi Xi and An Yue, and that is a credit to Yilla Yu’s acting. Tsao Yu Ning also improved in his acting. He was a little more wooden in “Mysterious Love” but is able to express more subtle emotions here. His character also is a little friendlier and smiles more, compared to the former role. I like all the supporting cast, and find the two secondary male leads and secondary female lead likable as well. No one really irritates me in this drama.

The biggest selling point of “Love of Replica” is the chemistry between the leads. I wouldn’t call it smoking hot, but pretty good. I’m glad the kisses are back with a couple sexier scenes. However, I think the scenes and the vibe in “Mysterious Love” might be sexier.

I think both dramas share the same OST, or at least some of the songs. I like the rich and modern outfits that the female leads wear. No more oversized jackets and sweatshirts wherever they go.

Since this is a short drama, if you have time to kill and like the leads, this might be worth a watch. However, if you are looking for a well-written thriller romance, there are better options out there.


Completed: 5/16/2023 - Review #307

Leia Mais

Communication is still lacking - but sweeter than the parent/main story

Note: You should watch the original drama first before watching this spin-off. This one is full of spoilers of the parent story. If you watch this on Viki they mixed the original and the spin-offs together. Spin-off episodes are #5, 7, 9, 11


The spin-off focuses on the story between Deno and Nao during that 4-year separation between the other couple. Narita and Ishi did make some appearances in this spin-off, but they just exist as side characters to help tell Deno and Nao's stories.

Deno is such a mature, caring, and kind person that throughout the drama, I keep on wishing him a super happy ending. Due to their own circumstances, Deno and Nao are unable to open up to each other and communicate their feelings and thoughts openly. This lack of communication is a lot less frustrating than watching Narita and Ishi in the main drama. Although most of their interactions are only limited to staying at the apartment having sex and eating, everything feels so sweet and gentle. This spin-off has a much different tone than the parent story. At the end, I truly wish they could resolve whatever situation they are in and live happily ever after.

This spin-off could easily be a lot longer and tell a richer love story. 4 short episodes are not enough but good enough for fans of Furukawa Yuki.


Completed: 3/18/2023

Leia Mais

Disappointing and rushed Ending

Subjective Gut Rating - 7.75

I’ve been putting off watching “Song of Youth” because I was worried the comedy might be too much for me, and I need to be in the right mood to watch a comedic slice-of-life drama. I finally watched it and realized it’s actually not as funny as I thought it would be. I thought it would be on par with “New Life Begins” but actually, it’s a lot less funny and only with comedic bits sprinkled throughout the drama.

It might not be official but I feel like “Song of Youth” takes on an omnibus-style, where the drama tells the stories of many characters that are interconnected. Our female lead, Lin Shao Chun, is the one that connects all the dots. She also seems to be the superwoman that solves everyone’s problems with ease. Unfortunately, I prefer all characters’ stories to be integrated and weaved throughout the drama. With such an omnibus-like style, our main leads disappear to the background for long periods of time, and only show up to save the day.

The drama starts with the romance between the main leads, Lin Shao Chun (FL) and Sun Yu Lou (ML). Their story takes up about ⅓ of the drama. From a storytelling point of view, it’s interesting enough, especially with how different they both are and the ways Lin Shao Chun wins the hearts of the Sun family and is welcomed into the family. But the romance to me is unconvincing. I do believe Bai Lu and Wang Yi Zhe acted their characters well individually. However, when they are paired together, it’s lacking in chemistry. Even though both actors are the same age in real life, Bai Lu looks like an older sister. Additionally, Sun Yu Lou’s personality is a lot more immature compared to Lin Shao Chun.

The second big arc focuses on the story of the eldest brother. This is when I started to get annoyed and bored. This arc lasted for waaaay too long. Spending another 10 episodes on just one brother and his troubles, limits the screen time for the rest of the cast, and this drama has a huge cast. I also think the drama could have done away with the story of the 3rd sister. The story of the 2nd sister only serves to highlight the 3rd brother’s personality. These two sisters are married off and were barely mentioned in the drama. Then all of a sudden, they both showed up and fought for screen time. I much prefer to have a better written plot about the eldest brother (shorter), 2nd brother, 3rd brother (longer), and maybe the parents.

In the last few episodes, I got really confused about the revenge and case investigation. I still have no idea what they did to FL’s father and how he was betrayed. What were those three 3 senior officials scheming about? In the very last episode, we finally found out who the real villain was, but it was told but not shown.

I would have given this an 8.0 for the solid acting, and actors using their own voices. But I was dissatisfied with how the last 5 episodes are written, so I am lowering this to a 7.5-7.75.

Leia Mais