Beautiful slow burn romance, excellent acting and great cinematography

Completed - 1/1/2022

My first completed drama of 2022. What a beautiful ride this has been. I think "The Red Sleeve" has become my favorite sageuk, surpassing "The Crowned Clown" and "Moon Embracing the Sun". This drama has equal parts court politics and romance.

Acting - The overall acting for the whole cast is excellent. We have the amazing lead couple, whose quiet, simmering chemistry is off-the-charts. Lee Jung Ho (ML) and Lee Se Young (FL) were charismatic and playful in the first half of the drama, and the acting switches gears to a more melodramatic and serious tone. Our second male lead, Kan Hoon, portrays a grey character well. He kept me guessing whether he's good and loyal, or bad and traitorous. Not to forget out crazy king played by veteran actor Lee Deok Hwa. There are several episodes and scenes where he just took over the screen, and you were so mesmerized with him. The strong women supporting cast from the Queen Dowager, all the Princesses/Concubines and court ladies - all act their part and make each scene believable.

Romance - As mentioned, this is a very slow-burn romance. ML loves FL for over 10 years and courted her for so long before they were officially together. We have to wait till Ep 16 for that to happen!!! You cannot deny their chemistry. It might not be sizzling hot but it's simmering from episode to episode. We started with the initial fun bantering to the quiet and loyal behind-the-scene support, and then finally talking openly about their feelings (mainly ML to FL). One of my favorite scenes was when ML was grounded by the king and has to stay in his room. Our FL quietly stayed by his side outside the door, and read him poetry from the Book of Odes. That was such a romantic scene! I was happy to see that scene again in the finale. On the other hand, I was frustrated for ML because he never openly heard FL's love confession. I understand where FL is coming from, and her choice to stay with him is an act of love. But ML confesses so many times that I think he deserves to hear those words from FL's mouth directly. In the end, the audience waited until ep 16 to finally have some happy couple moments for less than half a episode. Well, at least we got several amazing kisses (not fish kisses, thank god!) from our amazing couple.

Court Politics - The rise of the crown prince to the throne took up 2/3 of the drama. It's interesting to see another side of throne fighting. Here, we don't have other princes but only the crown prince. Yet, there's still a lot of secret meetings and fighting between factions, before ML can become king. The friendship between the Crown Prince and Hong Deok Ro is quite a tragic one. As with the romance, the complexity of this friendship is not in-your-face, but is slowly and gradually shown to the audience. The power struggle between the King and the Crown prince is interesting as well. It's quite evident that the king wants the crown prince to take the throne eventually, yet he just won't let it go. Behind all these politics, we also have women working behind closed doors. We have scheming queens and princesses, fighting for their own benefits. But the biggest villains is the secret society run by a bunch of evil court ladies. That plotline is quite interesting, as I never would have thought they could be powerful enough to influence who would be the next king. I guess it's similar to how there are powerful eunuchs in C-dramas.

Court ladies & Guards - I also enjoy the behind-the-scene look of the hard-working court ladies. The friendship developed between FL and her friends was heartwarming to watch. Without these friends, life for these court ladies is depressing. The friends also provide comic relief to a pretty serious drama. Having someone like Court Lady Seo to be by FL's side is a blessing.
She's like a mother to her. I can't forget to mention our loyal and naive palace guard, Kang Tae Ho. He is quite adorable, esp. when he's giving tips on how to court a woman!

Cinematography - This is a beautifully shot drama. I especially like the natural lighting in all the scenes. When the scenes are shot indoors at night, the light is strictly coming from the candles and lanterns. There's no fake artificial light. It makes everything so much more natural and real. The costumes are beautifully layered with appropriate accessories. Though court ladies can't wear elaborate outfits, but you can tell that all the clothes are of high-quality fabric and not flimsy ones.

Other Observations:
1. Is it really that difficult to kill a tiger??????
2. How did FL escape from the underground prison when the exit is where the head court lady is having a meeting?
3. Love the dumplings scene in the finale. I feel that the leads are trying hard not to laugh and might have ad lib lines some of the lines.
4. Ep 17 is a little slow. I wonder if it's better to keep it at 16 episodes instead of increasing it to 17. But then, the episodes are already 1.5-long, so maybe not.
5. I am not sure about the ending: somehow I wished the drama ended sooner right after the leads got together. I want to see them happy.

Leia Mais

Unique & Funny to start, but gets more Emotional

Completed - 11/17/2021 - rounding up to 8.0

Surprisingly, I enjoy "Dear Diary" a lot more than I initially thought. I was expecting a fairly low quality and low budget drama, but was pleasantly surprised that the production quality is not good and they filmed at different real locations. Before I watched this drama, I thought this would be a silly, over-the-top drama and I am prepared for it. But after the first episode, it's obvious that there's a more tragic undertone to all of this silliness. It is quite an emotional drama, and might be a tad melo towards the end.

What I Enjoy:
1) A unique story started by a 12-year old when she was day dreaming about a grand love story. I was a hopeless romantic myself when I was young (maybe still am.. LOL), so I can totally understand the obsession of wanting to have an amazing star-crossed love story. Instead of saying she's writing a diary, it's more like writing a romance novel. I love how this all started, and how a tragic event changes the FL's life and her view of the world. I enjoy the character growth and how she comes to accept herself and that she deserves to be loved.

2) Hot guys in Hot outfits. I have never seen our male lead, Rhydian Vaughan in any drama or movie. It shouldn't come as a surprise that he's a good-looking guy, with sexy eyes and a hot body. I apologize if I sound like a cougar. But he's one of the main reasons for me to watch this drama. He looks incredible in everything he wears (or not wear), whether it's in his Babylonian armor or his modern casual looks and suits. I never find Wang Rui Chang to be particularly attractive, but he does look really cool in this drama. He is so tall and lean that he makes all the outrageous and over-the-top suits look stylish.

3) Sismance. Our two female leads have very different personalities, but have been supportive of each other since they're 12 years old. I love scenes when they were young and writing the diary. It's so cute to see the young ZhenZhen dancing around and reading the romantic parts of the diary. Their friendship remains strong through all the ups and downs in this drama. There's no jealousy between the two.

What I don't enjoy:
1. The pacing of the first half of the drama is pretty good. But towards the last 1/3 of the drama when it becomes more serious and emotional, the scenes become very repetitive with too many flashbacks.

2. Cheesy love lines. I know it's the writing of a 12-year old, but I can't help but feel that once the three couples got together, they forgot how to talk like normal people. Their lines to each other become too cheesy for my taste. It's really like they are straight from a young adult romance novels.

3. Underdeveloped romance. This is a pretty short 24-episode drama. But if you take away the beginning and ending credits, the recap of the previous episode, then you are only left with about 30 mins per episode. I feel that there isn't enough time to properly develop 3 main romance storylines. The romance of Jiang Hui Zhen and Ou Yang Wen Shan is the weakest of the three. They started out as such a cool couple, but there isn't enough time to tell their story properly.

Other observations:
1. Fan service - there are many shirtless scenes of Rydian Vaughan, and I am not complaining
2. Acting is pretty decent all around, esp. Bu Guan Jin. I would say the weakest of the bunch is Rydian Vaughan.
3. Why are they fixing a broken mirror? How Ou Yang Wen Shan knows so much more about the modern world than Mu Rong Jie Lun and the Dragon Lady?
4. Dubbing is inconsistent and sometimes totally out of sync.
5. I didn't expect to cry so much!!

Leia Mais

Be patient and wait till the details are revealed via flashbacks

9/15/2021

It pains me that I have to give this drama a 7.5 rating and not higher. I am a big fan of Xu Kai and Bai Lu and LOVE them in "Arsenal Military Academy". However, I am disappointed in how the story was told and their supposedly amazing chemistry. When I review the notes I wrote down about this drama, I wrote down mostly negative things. *sigh* I like the overall story of the drama, even though it sounds like I hate it. I had high hopes since it got a 8.3 rating on MDL and it's pretty decent for a historical/wuxia/fantasy drama. Unfortunately, the visuals of Xu Kai and Bai Lu are not enough.

What I don't like:
1. Plot and explanation - Throughout the drama, I scratch my head and wonder what just happened to a certain scene. Why is it cut and immediately transitions to something else. Then I realize, after half/one episode later, they went back to the initial plot and explain what happened via a flashback. This happens ALL the time!! The drama is slow to reveal details and if you fast forward and miss a dialog or flashback, you will be completely lost and wonder why there are so many plot holes. You need to be very patient and then your questions will be answered. I am not sure I've seen a drama that uses this technique to tell a story, and personally, I am not a fan of this style. Oh, there are still plot holes e.g. *spoiler* in Ep 53 - I thought FL's lightning sword was stolen by the Captain of the Guard and given to the Golden Immortal. How come FL found it in her chest and was able to use it to kill ML's demon essence? Also, if they can all teleport, why don't they do it more often esp. when they are in danger?

2. Editing - Editing is a little wonky. Scenes have awkward and abrupt transitions, including background music cut off suddenly.

3. Female leads in the 2nd half - In the first half, we have a strong and sassy anti-heroine. In the second half when Lu Zhao Yao is reincarnated, she lost that feistiness and ended being just a regular FL who is in love with her man. Where is that badass Lu Zhao Yao? Where are her amazing fighting skills? Same goes to the other FL, Qin Zhi Yan. Where did she go in the second half? The two FLs had so much fun and chemistry when they are sharing the same identity. Once everything goes back to normal, Qin Zhi Yan becomes a character that just looms in the background.

4. Daytime or Night time - There are so many scenes that I don't even know if it's daytime or night time. When Lu Zhao Yao is visible again, you would think the sky should be dark. But no, it's quite sunny out there! I am confused!

5. Main Romance - Everyone said the leads chemistry is amazing. Unfortunately, I don't feel it. It's not bad, but just OK. Just because the kisses were amazing, doesn't mean the chemistry is good throughout the show. I do love Xu Kai's eyes. I understand why Mo Qing is in love with Lu Zhao Yao. But Lu Zhao Yao suddenly falls head over heels after realizing Mo Qing is in love with her is a little too fast and not explained well. I was hoping for more development, a slow realization and then falling in love. But because the romance took a while to enter the main storyline, I feel that the writers were rushing it a little.

6. Slow-Motion scenes: There are so many close-up slow-mo scenes that totally drags down the pacing of the drama. I am also very disappointed in the fight choreography and slow fight scenes. I know this is not a traditional wuxia drama, but still. In the last few episodes in the big battle with the Golden Immortal, the fight could have finished in 15-20 minutes. But all these slow-motion and awkward transition of scenes prolonged the battle for to 1-2 episodes.

What I Like:
1. Kisses - Xu Kai and Bai Lu don't disappoint. Those kisses by the gate are amazing. Mo Qin was so shy in the beginning but just couldn't resist Zhao Yao. *sizzles*

2. Bromance - I love the bromance between Mo Qing and SiMa Rong, and also the love/hate friendship with Gu Hang Guang. The scenes when they were coming up with proposal ideas are hilarious.

3. Loyal, Undying love - I am a fan of ML who is super loyal to FL, and will do anything for FL. Love is shown through actions and not just cheesy lines. There are other side romances where the male supporting characters are in love with their women, and just couldn't let go and move on. It might be a little much for others, but I love it.

Leia Mais

Slow-paced, too many side plots, can't be compared to Fuyao

9/6/2021

Listening Snow Tower is not a widely-recommended or talked about drama, and I got to know about this as I read an article comparing it to "Legend of Fuyao". I also read comments that it's a wuxia drama with great fight scenes. Fuyao is my one of my most favorite dramas and Snow Tower is not even close to the brilliance of Fuyao. (My review of Fuyao: https://mydramalist.com/profile/voicelesslove/review/152877)

The reason why I stuck with this drama and not drop it is because of our male lead Yi Qing. I have never watched Qin Jun Jie in any drama before and I am a fan now (got Spy Hunter on my PTW list). His portrayal of our sickly ML is great, though I don't find him particularly handsome/attractive at first. He shows the vulnerable side of our lead when he's not feeling well, but you can see his determination and stubbornness in his eyes as well. I feel his love for our FL when he's looking at her with quiet admiration and adoration. Even though he appears pale and sickly throughout the show, you can feel his presence as the Tower Master. He has that charisma that people will listen to him whether he's coughing up blood or just sitting quietly reading. I don't think I would continue with this drama if not for Yi Qing and wanting to know that he could succeed. I root for him and want him to have a happy ending so badly.

I enjoy the romance between our leads. I like a mature, quiet romance where our ML is showing his love through actions and not just cheesy lines. This type of romance might not be for everyone. There isn't any fluffy cute romantic scenes or banter, or big gestures to declare their love for each other, except maybe self-sacrificing themselves so the other won't get hurt. I love that our ML supports FL quietly and secretly, by helping her get stronger, and never try to change her. They understand each other's actions without saying it out loud. As much as I love this type of relationship, I do feel the chemistry between the leads could have been better. I think I am just not feeling it from FL to ML.

I like the general plot of the drama. Unfortunately, there are too many side characters and each of them have their own little romance/story. Do we need so many love-at-first-sight romance? I am fine with a decent supporting cast, but I just feel it's a little over-the-board here. This takes away from the main plot and slow down the pacing of the drama. There are so many times when they capture their nemesis, threaten to kill them, and then let them go. This drama does not have to be 56 ep long. I lost my attention in the middle of the drama, and the pacing only picks back up towards the last 5-7 episodes. Speaking of the supporting cast, I am most impressed with our villain Ming He, played by Angela Yuen. As a newcomer, she did a great job in her portrayal of Ming He/Ye Huo.

One of the most disappointing thing is the editing of the fight scenes. I really hope to find a good wuxia drama that gives me great fighting choreography. The fight scenes seem to be better in the first half of the show than the second half. I appreciate the lack of slow-mo spinning that are so prevalent in many shows. I wish to see longer fight scenes and faster movement. Our actors seem too weak when yielding their swords. There are times when some expected good fights were starting and they were cut short or transition out to something different. Our FL is supposed to be one of the top 3 fighters in the show, and we barely see her in action, or the fight scenes are so short that they don't her prowess. The best scene she had was her fight with the ML in the rain. Other than that, there's nothing memorable.

There's blood spitting/coughing everywhere. I wonder if our ML rivals Si Feng in "Love and Redemption" in the number of times these two MLs spit blood. The dubbing is not good either. There are several times where the supporting cast is speaking out the inner thoughts of the leads and explaining why they do certain things. I wonder if there's a better way of conveying the same kind of information. I don't expect any passionate kisses in a wuxia drama, but I was hoping to have at least one decent kiss from our leads. The kisses that they have are all life-saving kisses, but not a romantic kiss. The other two kisses by our supporting cast are surprise/unwilling kisses that are quite unnecessary and really did nothing to the story.

It sounds like I hate this drama, but I really don't. I have high hopes but am disappointed. There are times when MDL ratings are wrong with shows that have sub-8 ratings. Unfortunately, this time it's correct. I like it enough to not drop it but it took a lot of willpower.

Leia Mais

New Fav XianXia drama - Pacing/Plot, Acting, Characters

8/31/2021

I am pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoy this drama and it has become my favorite xianxia to date after watching "Ashes of Love", "10 Miles Peach Blossoms", "Love and Destiny" and "Love and Redemption". I do not share the opinion with many netizens that FL is not suitable for this role. I think her petite size actually fits her role as a god-in-training for most of the drama, and not THE powerful god yet. The drama is from the same director as "Love and Redemption" so you see some of the same actors in this drama as well.

Things I Like:
1. Pacing/Plot - I was worried that the pacing of the drama would be slow and I would be bored towards the middle. But no, I am entertained and held my attention throughout the 49 episodes. I am also happy to know that this drama differs from others that there are no trials in the mortal realm, like most of them. Yes, it does have similar tropes/plots such as amnesia, evil villains from the Ghost and Heavenly realms, one-sided obsession love. I enjoy the story is kept within the heaven/god realms. However, nothing is over-the-top. The story develops well and continues to get better as the drama goes. The pacing and the plot are what propelled me to give this a 9 rating.

2. Acting/Characters - I enjoy all the characters in this drama, including the supporting cast. We don't have naïve/innocent spoiled brats, or cartoonish villains. All the characters are smart in their own ways and don't make out-of-character dumb decisions. I enjoy seeing contrasting personalities of ML and FL in the two story arcs. Acting is great all around. I watch this mainly for Xu Kai and he doesn't disappoint. He's a little "bland" in the beginning before we see his character's real personality and character development. I love his eyes... those big eyes speak to me when he's in pain and I cry my eyes out for him as Qing Mu. I also love Liu Xue Yi as Tiang Qi as the 2nd ML. He got to have more dramas as ML where he gets the girl (he does in "Qing Luo" but it's not a great drama).

3. CGI/Costumes - This is a beautiful drama. The costumes are beautiful along with the head pieces of the ladies. However, as much as I love these costumes, I wish there are more colors (even pastel colors). They seem a little too "white", but beautiful nonetheless. The CGI is really good. I love the purple power of Jing Yuan and the black evil power.

Things I don't like or am lukewarm about:
1. Chemistry of the leads - I feel that both ML and FL acted well, but when the two of them are put together, I don't feel the romantic chemistry as much as I've seen in other dramas. This is probably a personal taste. They are both great actors.

2. Confusing start of 2nd arc - The transition from the first arc to the second arc is a little too fast and too much. I feel that many characters are introduced in the beginning before I can figure out what happened after 60k years.

3. I want to know more about the relationships/love triangle between Gun Jun, King and Queen. Why did the queen leave Gun Jun? Really because of him traveling too much? Or there's something more to it. I am more interested in this love triangle than the romance between 9-tailed fox and Sen Yu.

Overall, I strongly recommend this drama if you enjoy xianxia dramas and are fans of the actors/actresses. The pacing is better than other xianxia dramas.

Leia Mais

Slow-paced but Beautiful; Good acting but Poor writing

Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75

I have not read the novel, so this review is based on my feelings on the drama itself. “Snowy Night Timeless Love” is a very slow-paced drama set in the backdrop of winter, so if you are not in the mood for that, it’s best not to watch it.


Repetitiveness?
A big criticism of this drama is the repetitiveness of the plot in the first 19 episodes. I have very mixed feelings about this and I also don’t know if the writing could have made this less repetitive. In these 19 episodes, the focus is on Huo Zhan Bai (ML) to search for the 5 rare medicinal ingredients to save the child. We all know these rare ingredients are hard to find and will be a very dangerous mission to complete. So, I can’t fault the drama for having Huo Zhan Bai get critically injured each step of the way. Otherwise, it won’t be realistic right? You also need him to be injured, so that he can spend a considerable amount of time at the Medicine Valley to heal and spend time with Xue Zi Ye (FL). If not, how are they going to get to know each other and develop feelings? Unfortunately, even knowing all this, it’s hard not to feel bored of this repertoire of not caring about oneself and getting seriously injured, barely making it back or saving by FL, resting and healing, and going forth to search for another ingredient. Could the writing be better so we won’t all get bored? Probably. I just don’t know how to achieve that and am in no position to offer an alternative.

Romance
I was skeptical of the pairing of Joseph Zeng and Li Qin. Joseph has such a baby face that pairing with a more mature Li Qin might not give me the feels. Luckily, ML’s character is more mature and dependable than Joseph Zeng’s other roles. The chemistry is decent and I do like this slow-burn romance. The leads develop feelings for each other during 8 long years. Their bickering is flirting. Their actions speak louder than words. They don’t need to say “I like You”. They are the same type of people, self-sacrificing dummies (LOL) who care about others before themselves. That’s why they understand each other's thoughts and actions, and words need not be spoken. I think this is very romantic. I especially love and “awww” at wooden windchimes set up along the path for ML when he couldn’t see. It mirrored the lanterns he lit up for her. What a romantic gesture! Their promises and missed chances made their love story even more tragically beautiful. I don’t need a grand confession scene and I am satisfied with the romance here. But, this might not be for everyone.

Rest of the Plot
Unfortunately, due to the majority of the time spent on the quest of rare ingredients, not enough time was spent on the rest of the plot. The villain and his minions seem like a small side plot. I would have loved more of a backstory of the minions. If the writing is better, I probably would not have felt the urge to fast forward (I was able to resist the urge). The drama was unable to hold my attention for 32 episodes. The pace is slow and there’s not enough action scenes to keep me entertained. I was hoping there would be more fight scenes, especially when ML was searching for the ingredients, and also towards the end with the villains. Maybe the drama doesn’t have enough money for that, even with the product placement of that darn 999 Cold Medicine. Why do we need it when we have a genius FL?


Cast & Acting
I do like the actors and felt that they all did a good job. I am confident in Li Qin’s acting and she’s great here, as well as looking ethereally beautiful. It’s probably one of Joseph Zeng’s best performances. Edward Chen did fantastic and I was surprised he was the teenager in “Lesson in Love”. Wang Hong Yi looks handsome and his smile does look creepy as intended. Kim Jin’s villain role might be a little over-the-top.


“Snowy Night Timeless Love” is an OK watch and I would only recommend this if you are a fan of the cast, or if you are in the mood for something slow and wintery. This is definitely not a must-watch. I was going to rate this a solid 8.0 but then boredom sets and I felt the urge to fast-forward. So, I have to drop it to 7.75.


Completed: 11/21/2024 - Review #518

Leia Mais

A rollercoaster ride of emotions brought to you by excellent acting

“What Comes after Love” tells a simple story of young and innocent love, going through the challenges of everyday life, and coming to the realization that only love is just not enough. These young lovers reunited 5 years after their breakup. The drama tells their love story through flashbacks to the past and present, and is narrated from both leads’ perspectives. There’s an added colorful touch with regards to cultural differences between Japan and South Korea.

After the series ended, I couldn’t decide if I liked it or not. There are so many frustrating moments where I want to strangle the leads because of the lack of communication and the lack of action. Towards the end, I did feel the interactions between the leads become somewhat repetitive but not to the extent that I dislike the drama. I just want them to speak up or do something!

However, I cannot deny the fact that I love this romance from innocent puppy love, to regrets and pain. Their smiles, laughter and passionate love for each other is so contagious. On the flip side, the longing, pain, depression, loneliness and regret break my heart. But none of the emotional rollercoaster could have happened if not for the excellent acting from Lee Se Young and Sakaguchi Kentaro.

Both actors are perfectly casted. I am not sure how Lee Se Young’s Japanese sounds to a native speaker, but it sounded perfect to me. This might be one of her best roles yet. Kentaro has this dorky and shy charm. He conveyed the unspoken words through microexpressions on his face and his eyes. His character is a man of few words and Lee Se Young has very few lines in the last couple episodes too. Yet, I feel every emotion that they’re trying to convey.

If you like a melodrama of lovers reconnected after a difficult breakup, I would recommend “What Comes After Love” for you. The cinematography, music and the use of literature complemented the plot and the acting so well.


Completed: 11/5/2024 - Review #509

Leia Mais

An easy slow-paced watch with repetitive flashbacks and a decent OST.

I seriously went into this without expectations at all. I am not sure what attracted me to watch this, maybe because it was a Taiwanese BL and I mostly have a decent time watching them. Then I realized “First Note of Love” is actually a Taiwanese/Thai co-production and that was interesting.

One reviewer commented that this should have been watched as a movie or binged. I agree because if I had to wait weekly for 1 episode, I would have given up. The pacing of the drama is slow and full of repetitive flashbacks. If I watched this weekly, I would complain I wasted 30 mins on basically only 15 minutes of substance. But since I binged it, the flashbacks got to me. Additionally, one song was played on repeat for half of the drama. Even though I like the song, I was getting sick and tired of it.

Having said all that, I have a generally good time watching “First Note of Love”. I like the acting, the story of healing and getting over a loss/trauma, and I was looking forward to a great comeback performance. The comeback performance was fun, but definitely not the grand finale I was expecting. The romance is sweet and angst-free, but I think Neil falls in love with Sea a little too quickly. I found the secondary couple really cute and want to know more about them. The use of both Thai and Chinese is better than I thought and I actually look forward to their conversations to see what language they will be using. We got some pretty good kisses but I wish the supposedly sexy scene was shot better and more passionately, and not in slow motion with filters of forced-romantic lighting.

The ending is not super impactful and the professional decisions made of their future is a little head-scratchingly vague. Objectively, this should probably be rated at 7.5 but the personal enjoyment factor is at an 8.0.



Completed: 11/2/2024 - Review #507

Leia Mais

Funny first half but a more serious tone in the second half.

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25

I was quite surprised that I had a pretty good time watching “No Gain, No Love”. I wanted something fun and this fits the bill as it’s funny enough without going overboard, but the tone of the drama changes in the second half. I was also a little hesitant in the beginning because I am not a fan of noona romance. Luckily, the age gap was not mentioned much in the drama.

Shin Min Ah shines in her role here. This role reminded me of her character in “Oh My Venus” in a good way, as I didn’t like her in “Our Blues” or “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha”. But her chemistry with Kim Young Dae is not as good as with So Ji Sub.

The first half of the drama is hilarious. I like how the leads dislike each other, yet their interaction is funny. I enjoy the contract marriage trope, and how they come together in creating this fake wedding. When watching wedding scenes, I often have happy tears because I am moved or happy for the couple. This fake wedding moved me to tears because I am sad. The whole reason behind it is not funny at all, despite it being an interesting and exciting event.

The chemistry between Shin Min Ah and Kim Young Dae is decent. It’s cute at times but not sizzling. I actually think the portrayal of them falling in love could have been written better. There are a few kisses but nothing earth-shattering (maybe a slight disappointment because I expected more?). We don’t really see too many cute and fluffy scenes of them before the drama goes down a more serious path.

There are quite a few mentions of other dramas and guest appearances. The supporting cast did fine and I’m glad there’s no one evil or annoying. There are rave reviews about how cute the second couple is. They are OK to me but there isn’t enough screen time for me to truly fall in love with them. I guess I’ll just have to check out their drama special. The third long-time couple surprises me with their setup, but their story is boring. I do not miss them at all when they’re not on my screen.

The second half of the drama, especially the last few episodes, feel rushed and jam-packed with more serious side plots. Knowing the story of how FL’s dad died is enough for me. I don’t really need to know about the other father. I wish the drama could have tied up the sisters' stories without wasting precious screen time on him.

Lastly, there is a lot of product placement in this drama - all the snacks and Kopiko coffee candies, Subway, Banaespresso, cars, and beauty products. With all the revenue from advertising, they could have dressed the female characters with better clothes. They all dress like old ladies.

Overall, I did have a pleasant time watching “No Gain, No Love”. It started off very strong but only ended on an average note. But 12 episodes zoomed by in a jiffy!


Completed: 10/29/2024 - Review #506

Leia Mais

Obsessive, Possessive, Toxic, Passionate and Manic!

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25

This is probably one of the better acted short-length dramas I’ve seen. Female lead, He Xuan Lin, is an experienced actress and I last saw her in the very popular “Starry Love”. Her character, Gu Jun Yao, has gone through so much in her life that this is such an angsty watch. You can’t help but root for her freedom and happiness.

“Love & Bid Farewell” is a tale of revenge, obsession, love and toxicity. There are many reviews going into the details of the drama, so I won’t go into that. I’ll just write a few quick thoughts of the drama.

1. As mentioned, the acting is great. He Xuan Lin really is the shining star. Apparently, I’ve seen male lead, Yan Zi Xian, in many other dramas before when he had a supporting role. I don’t remember him at all. But I will now for his role as the obsessive and possessive Yue Jin Chen.
2. I appreciate a strong female lead, who once she realized what happened, did not go back at all. She never fell into the trap of romance, no matter how much the male lead tried to entice her.3.
3. It’s amazing how Yue Jin Chen can get stabbed so many times and not die.
4. Great, passionate and forceful yet realistic kisses. Probably one of few C-dramas (mini or full-length ones) where the male lead and the female lead are both going at it and not being shy.
5. I appreciate there’s no evil and annoying secondary leads.
6. For a low budget production, the drama doesn’t feel cheap.
7. There are times I did feel like I wanted to fast forward, as the plot became a little repetitive. 24 episodes at about 20 mins each, might be too long when the plot only revolves about the leads.
8. A great drama for those who want a real red flag ML.
9. The ending is not surprising and you can’t really go any other way. I am glad the drama sticks to its dark theme and didn’t try to please the audience and gives us a different ending.

If you are looking for a toxic romance with an obsessive and possessive red flag male lead, then I strongly recommend this drama for you.


Completed: 10/26/2024 - Review #504

Leia Mais

Fun and emotional self-discovery journey with an interesting love triangle on the side.

“Nagi’s Long Vacation” aka “Nagi no Oitoma” is a lovely drama of growth, self-discovery and healing. Feeling suffocated from the demands of everyone and unable to show her true self, Nagi had a breakdown. She packed up and left her work and home in Tokyo, and took a breather in a small town. There’s a strong emphasis on ‘reading the room’ and noticing the atmospheric change in moods, and then acting accordingly in the best possible way (but not necessarily how you truly feel).

At first glance, Nagi is sweet and likable. But we only see the ‘surface’ of who she is in the early episodes. As the drama goes on, she slowly discovers who she really is. She might not be as nice as we thought. I am not saying she's mean but someone who is flawed like all of us, and may not be as sweet, kind and caring to everyone she meets. Slowly getting to know the true Nagi is a joy in this journey.

Nagi will need to credit the neighbors, friends and her love interests in her self-discovery. This drama has a lovely and fun supporting cast (except for a couple bullies at work). She finally has real, true friends who she can share her hopes and dreams, failures and worries with. Not only is she getting a lot from those around her, she also has a strong influence on them as well.

As a romance lover, I was pleasantly surprised at how this love triangle pans out. It’s really not what I expected and it was a fun journey to follow along, and guess who Nagi will or will not end up with. I think this is one of the few dramas where I am happy with either option.
I want Nagi to not end up with any man, but be the independent, mature woman that she can be. I want her to continue to grow as a person, to learn from her past mistakes and be the best person she can and want to be.
I also want her to fall in love with the sexy and dreamy neighbor, who is sweet, kind and gentle. Someone who brings in the delicious air/atmosphere for Nagi to indulge in. We all want a neighbor like that. Hey, he is a good kisser and good in bed. LOL
I also want her to get back with her ex-boyfriend. Someone who loved her past and present self. Someone who is very similar to who she was and can grow and mature with her. I want them to finally see each other without their masks on.

“Nagi’s Long Vacation” is a heartwarming drama with some pretty emotional scenes. It’s a lovely watch and I will recommend this if you are a fan of healing/growth/self-discovery slice-of-life drama.


Other Random Observations:
1. Nagi definitely looks cuter with her bushy hair than the wig.
2. The little girl is so smart and much more mature than most adults.
3. I love a J-drama with good kisses. Too bad we don’t see much in the latter half of the drama.
4. I love the analogy of a pull-apart bun to describe the dreamy and irresistible neighbor, and the funny sexy middle school girl taboo.
5. This is one of the more creative confessions I’ve seen with keys.
6. Ex-boyfriend is really not likable in the beginning, but he grew on me.



Completed: 10/23/2024 - Review #502

Leia Mais

Beautiful & Courageous Journey to achieve your Dream with lovable characters

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25 (rounding up to boost Jdrama average rating LOL)

“My Second Aoharu (Youth)” is the perfect title for this drama. The drama never loses its focus on the courageous journey of Sayako (FL) to achieve her dream to be an architect. Though this dream was 12 years later than anticipated, the drama gives us an uplifting journey of perseverance, hard work and guts. And this is what I like the drama the most. Misfortunes happened to Sayako, but she never drowns herself in self-pity. Instead, she takes the plunge to go back to college and achieve her dream.

The drama has a lot of lovely characters. Sayako was a little too much to handle in the beginning, as I am not a fan of super loud and over-the-top acting (anime-style). But she grows on me and never veers towards the super annoying side. It’s impossible not to be influenced by her positivity and as viewers, I am rooting for her 100%. The house she lives in is also full of friendly and lovable housemates. It would be a dream if you have housemates like that. It’s all fun and games, and helping each other night There’s no animosity or chaos.

The romance is a mixed bag for me, and it’s not because it’s a noona (aka older woman/younger guy) romance, which is not my jam. I actually quite like how the leads meet, develop into good friends before lovers. The chemistry of the leads loses its spark when they first get together (about the ⅔ of the drama). There aren’t enough cute or romantic scenes between the two. Skinship is limited to a couple OK kisses. They also feel more like best friends or siblings, instead of lovers. However, I really like how Taku (ML) understands Sayako. He admires and appreciates her charms (good and bad) and is the only one who keeps on reminding Sayako of her initial goal. Whenever Sayoko is confused and lost regarding her studies or future, Taku is the one to shed some light and clear the fog in front of her. Taku is portrayed as such a mature young adult that the age gap is not as prominent. Sayako often acts very young with her crazy antics as well. Towards the last ⅓ of the drama, decisions need to be made between career/love. Those were the episodes that tug my heartstrings the most. The plot is predictable and some might not like how the drama tackles that, but these episodes are much better than those in the middle of the drama.

Sayako’s family members have very little screen time, but they are fun. I love that they’re so positive despite growing up poor. Sayako’s best friend provides additional comic relief. She has just enough screen time to add some more fun to the drama without getting annoying. The step-parent/child relationship is also interesting and beautiful to see.

I was unclear on a few storylines (or plot holes) and I wasn’t sure if I just missed them. With the rules of the house, how did everyone end up living together again? I thought Kanta had a girlfriend. What happened to her? Did I miss something between Kanta and Sumika? Also, I thought Kanta is a year or two older and should not have graduated with the rest of the guys, am I wrong?

Despite these plot holes (?) and mixed feelings about the main romance, I had a very enjoyable time watching this. I’m glad Sayako’s journey has always been front and center, despite the romance, family, and housemate storylines.


Completed: 9/28/2024 - Review #492

Leia Mais

Only for fans of Ishihara Satomi and Kamenashi Kazuya

Watching “Destiny” without any expectation probably contributed to a decent rating and watch experience. Currently it has a MDL rating of 7.2 which is quite low, but also not really THAT low for a Jdrama. “Destiny” tries to be a thriller/suspense romance. I am a fan of lovers reunited and second-chance romance. But is this really a second-chance romance with a cheating aspect, because FL already has a boyfriend? Well, you’ll need to watch to find out.

My favorite parts of the drama are the acting and the chemistry between Kanabe (played by Ishihara Satomi) and Masaki (played by Kamenashi Kazuya). Not only are they a fine-looking couple, they brought out many emotions from me. I smiled when watching their college days, and wanted to cry when they reunited under unfortunate circumstances. I love the longing and the pining, and I can accept their actions as I like flawed characters. I would have liked to see a little more of their college days and a stronger foundation of their romance (also the friendship of the 4 characters). Otherwise, it’s really hard to believe these feelings hold true even after so many years.

As a crime/thriller/suspense drama, it might not be very successful. I was never on the edge-of-my-seat anxious to find out what would happen next. Instead, the twists are somewhat predictable. There’s not a lot of background story about FL’s assistant, or the ‘villain’. I also do not agree with some of the decisions made by the characters. Another reviewer commented on the actions by FL’s father. It’s quite incomprehensible the reason for his death and the results of the investigation of his case.

Additionally, the music choice of the ending theme song is interesting. It’s a good and catchy song, and it sounds like it’s from a Broadway musical. However, it totally doesn’t fit the mood of the drama at all. Weird!

I’ll only recommend this if you are a fan of the main leads. Otherwise, it’s not a particularly good romance or suspense drama.


Completed: 9/25/2024 - Review #490

Leia Mais

Thai female characters really need to stop screaming.

The premise of “Love You My Arrogance” is actually quite interesting. I knew going into it that I have to lower my expectations because this is really short - 8 episodes of 15 mins each. Unfortunately, I still came out frustrated because the execution is really not there.

My biggest complaint, and the most subjective complaint, is how loud these women are. My ears were bleeding when I was watching the first couple episodes. Brownie can’t stop screaming at the top of her lungs, professing her love for Sun. Then she yells and cries and I want to stop watching so badly. I persisted, thinking it will get better and it’s only a short drama. Then Anna keeps this annoying tradition going. She can’t seem to speak normally and raises her voice even when she’s not arguing. She also acts like a know-it-all and is very argumentative. I know this probably only affects me and I understand Thai dramas can be like this. My tolerance is just not there, especially when I don’t like the two female characters.

Luckily, the boys are better and they have a cute little brotherhood going. How they like to grab and hug each other is funny. Sun is handsome but Pete is the MVP.

Acting wise, it was OK. I expected a little more from Nine and Mild. Plot wise, they spend too much time on Brownie screaming and apologizing. I wish they had spent more time in the Anna-helping-Sun part. The final twist in the end is interesting but it’s so short and casually mentioned that I couldn’t grasp the full impact. This short drama also seems like a tourism promotional production.

I heard season 2 is a little better and I might check it out. As a standalone, I am not sure if I will recommend it, and definitely not fellow viewers who are sensitive to screeching and screaming.




Completed: 9/22/2024 - Review #488

Leia Mais

An OK simple watch that is comforting but not unique.

Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75

“A Breeze of Love” is a short Korean BL about two students reuniting in college after their friendship was halted and parted ways in high school on an unhappy note. There’s tension when they reunite again in college. The story is simple and easy to follow. Don’t really expect plot twists or anything out of the ordinary. In a way, this is simple and comforting. There are some cute and sweet scenes of longing looks and shy smiles. The chemistry between the leads is pretty good and the acting is decent. There’s a very small supporting cast which doesn’t take away screen time from the leads.

I enjoy finding out their high school days through flashbacks and didn’t think they were too confusing. However, I would have loved to see more depth to the present-day relationship. Do Hyun is obviously upset with Dong Wook when they reunite, and for legit reasons. But he seems to have forgotten all these reasons after the basketball game. Even though Dong Wook tried to barge into his life, Do Hyun didn’t seem to put up much of a fight after the initial episode or two. I wanted a little more resistance. The time they spend together doesn’t involve much talking or conversations of substance. I guess they communicate through 1 vs 1 basketball scrimmages, and being next to each other is enough for them. I am the one that wanted more. And what is the cause of Dong Wook’s insomnia? Why is Do Hyun the sleeping pill? Is it just because Dong Wook likes Do Hyun and feels comfortable and relaxed around him?

It’s weird how I feel that the drama is too short and couldn’t explore more of the relationship, yet most of the last episode also feels like a filler. Why introduce the water boy in the very end and try to pair him up with a supporting character? Is there going to be a spin-off about them?

If you don’t think too much and just go with the flow and the feel of the drama, this is a very lovely watch.


Completed: 9/15/2024 - Review #486

Leia Mais