Reviews

What price would you be willing to pay in order to get into an Ivy Uni?

I was hesitant to watch this drama at first but due to all the positive reviews I told myself I'd give it 2 episodes...I was hooked on the first episode. This had so many life lessons and many times I could relate with the children and with the parents. I remember growing up being taught that my grades defined my value, I was considered a gifted child since young and always came 1st place until I entered my last year of middle school which is when I first started slipping from a straight A student to a B student. I was taught that if I didn't make it to a top university, that meant that I was nothing by one of my parent, while the other didn't care if I was a straight A or B student so long as I got a good college degree and didn't fail classes. In this way I was able to relate to Kang Ye Seo and her drive to needing to be number 1 no matter what, and also with Woo Joo who parents trusted him and gave him so much love.

There was betrayal, greed, love and defining what success as well as happiness is. It left me reflecting on my life and having conversation with one of my parents about what it was like growing up with certain expectation but asking them also what would be the price that they'd be willing to pay in order to get their child into an Ivy League University.

Story: Without spoiling anything, the drama is about 5 women and what they are willing to sacrifice in order to have acknowledgement and have their child get accepted into a highly regarded Med school (at the level of Harvard, Yale, NYU, Princeton, ect), we also get to see the children life with those expectation where they need to study 24/7 and being defined by their grades. At the very beginning it leads to one of the children breaking all ties with their parent and thus one of the parent deciding to unalive themselves and the other reflecting on how they got to that point. Shortly after a new family moves in that throws a wrench on how things are done and shows that letting the child decide how and if they'll study can also lead to success, we also have a character who had to do everything Themselves, taking care of Their sick parent while getting top grades only to be left alone deciding that the world of the rich owe Them more for their suffering. We have a study coach who has a 100% acceptance rate which we later find out how that comes to be. In the end, we end up thinking about the sacrifices each character made and if it was worth it.

Acting: The acting was topnotch for me, one moment I was laughing at JinJin and her family antics, the next moment I was pissed off with Ye Seo and her mother, the next I was crying in frustration with the twins and their mother, or cheering for Woo Jin and his parents who were his number one cheerleader. What I love the most is the character development and how each actors/actresses brought that to the table.

Music: No...this is where I feel like they failed, sometimes the background music felt too loud and for me personally their theme song "Is this even true(A.N:I think that's the name)" was too distracting and not in a good way, I even found myself responding a few time "Yes, this is really true now stop asking!!!!!!-_-" But I am very picky with my music so it might just be me.

Cinematography: There are times where the shots were absolutely beautiful and so were the outfits as well as house design but other times where I wanted to know who the cameraperson was to sit down with them because it was too shaky, or felt too amateur which took away from some important scenes and had me skipping scenes sometimes, in frustration.

Overall score: Overall I'll give it a 9.5 out of 10, this is one of those that I'd happily rewatch every few years and would recommend, in fact, I recommend that those who are parents, or are going through a hard time, to watch this. There are so many life lessons, the ending also made me wonder if we might be getting a second season.

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The Chemistry is GOOOOD.

We got another adaptation of a Japanese BL into a Thai BL in My Love Mix-up and I will have to say this – THEY ARE DOING REALLY GOOD SO FAR. I mean, the Japanese BL are still GOATED but these stories being adapted for Thai media is giving us more stories about the characters instead. They are trying to put their own culture into it so that is really commendable and it worked. The story still follows the love story of Atom and Kongthap. Kongthap accidentally picked up the eraser that Atom borrowed from his crush but this supposed love triangle was all a misunderstanding. I think we can all agree that this all started as a misunderstanding but it soon led to a really good bond between Atom and Mudmee while Atom was also starting his relationship with Kongthap. So, yes, we have two main lovers in the story. We have the main love story and the supporting love story which is just as great as the main. I don’t say that often but I will say it here – the love story of Mudmee and Half is really good. Well, let us start with the main lovers of the story which are Kongthap and Atom played by Gemini and Fourth. The chemistry is intense with these two and I love that for them. I feel like I have grown a bit distant with Gemini with what he said but I found myself forgiving him in this one because he really played the character of Kongthap really well. He played the straight-laced serious kid really well and giving him nuance that would make you slowly fall in love with him. I think we also need to highlight that people like these do exist and they will need more time to ease with things so I am glad that Atom soon understood that, of course, with the help of Khao Pan. Speaking of Atom, the star of the entire show for me is Fourth as Atom. He is phenomenal and I can’t ask anything more from him. He is the star of this show from the very moment the start to end. I will have to say that what really made me so much in love with the show is his friendship with Mudmee. I know that he initially liked her but the friendship that they were able to build here is the best among all the BLs that I have watched so far. Fourth played the character with so much facial expressions that I am so impressed with his acting. The more emotional stuff might need a bit more polishing but he gave such a wonderful performance that I can forgive him here because it was really entertaining from start to finish. I like how aggressive he is after accepting that he is now in love with Kongthap but still playing this fragile counter to his character. I like it so much. He was so fun to watch. He was so charming that I feel like it is hard to resist a guy like him and the bond that he was able to build with Kongthap did not even feel forced at all. It is a slow burn kind of love story where they became more friends and they are so much lucky to have an older gay couple guiding them through this new relationship that they have. It is not easy to navigate such emotions but the help that they got is really important if you will ask me. I wish that this happens more in real life where we can be more out with ourselves so that we can be in relationships that are consensual and loving. There is something so good about Young Love that I really want to highlight and that is what they were able to capture here especially when they were deciding in which school to study in. There is something so simple yet honest on how this is what they think will be their biggest problem in the world. It is so pure. It is so sincere. It is so romantic. I actually enjoyed it. I think the same can be said with the supporting couple. Half is very handsome. I just want to add that and I think that his relationship with Mudmee had repetitive aspects to it but the portrayal is still very good that I can really forgive them. I mentioned young love earlier and this is just another perfect example of that where they are still trying to figure things out and they are still so unsure of so many things that are happening to them that I think it is very much understandable for them to be confused with how they will be doing things. I think the confusion that they had is still understandable and it is still very cute. The acting is also pretty good that it is working well. I think these young actors did an impressive job with their work that they were able to fully embody these characters well and gave us a feel-good show to watch. I am happy with this and I enjoyed watching it so much.

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Bromance with Added Sismance, Truly Perfect!

Guo Jing Ming’s projects are always fraught with homoerotic tones; starting from Painted Skin: The Guo Jingming Edition, Wuliang, L.O.R.D 1, L.O.R.D 2, The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity and the recently concluded Fangs of Fortune, all stand testament to his amazing prowess to pass Chinese censorship.

Some stories leave you exasperated whilst others leave you with a ray of hope and earnest longing; that someday, you might be able to meet these characters again. “Fangs of Fortune” was one such drama for me. It taught me valuable life lessons- you can redeem yourself once you accept you were in wrong; love should set you free, not imprison you. Also, you can love someone despite hating them in the past. Adapted from the classic text and the mythology and geography collection “Classic of Mountains and Seas” (山海经), the show has the most endearing characters that slowly become a family. The best part is that they aren’t all human- we have a makeshift family made of a Great Demon, two powerful Demon Hunters, a Half God and a Mountain God. The only thing that connects them is their yearning for familial ties and bonds. They become each other’s solace and peace of mind; they evolve and mature together, drawing inspiration and courage from one another. Another important aspect of Guo Jing Ming’s shows is the magnanimity of the settings and the mesmerizing locales. The costumes are posh, keeping in line with the stature/position of the characters. We bring you the evergreen queer romance that is characteristic of most Guo Jing Ming’s stories.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/11/20/fangs-of-fortune-series-review-ep-1-to-32/

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Star Crossed Lovers with a Fantasy Twist

“Reverse 4 You” is an interesting take on “star-crossed lovers” who have to overcome their fate and find a way to be together, not just with each other, but with their loved ones. I believe that the show would have benefitted from telling stories of Jattawa (Mae Methakarn Anektanasuwan), Vivi (Manao Natnicha Polsombat) and Four’s (Christine Gulasatree Michalsky) past and/or alternative lives to drive the story and add tension, instead of following just one timeline, because it left the ending feeling too rushed and the pay off was lacking because some crucial things were not explained or dealt with. With enough care and thought, this could have been a very compelling series, but it because boring very quickly due to the writers focusing on all the wrong aspects of it.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/11/21/reverse-4-you-series-review-ep-4-to-8/#respond

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THE DRAMA LIVED UP TO ITS NAME

There’s a bittersweet irony in how a title can so accurately encapsulate the fate of a story. This drama, which started with promises of intensity and twists, ended in a lukewarm sigh, as if exhausted by its own ambitions. It’s impossible to overlook the detail no one seems eager to talk about: the poison that killed Mei Li was given by Jinghe and had a one-year expiry. Yes, he regretted it, sought a cure, and perhaps even redeemed himself in the eyes of many. But the facts remain unchangeable — he killed her, full stop. There’s no softening that truth.

The pacing, on the other hand, completely unraveled after the crown prince’s death. It was as though the plot lost its emotional and narrative anchor. From that point on, every attempt to inject life into the story felt like a tired, sluggish effort, which, unsurprisingly, reflected in the lukewarm reception it received in China. Not even the chemistry between the leads could salvage what quickly turned into an exercise in monotony. It’s a shame because both actors are talented and delivered solid performances — but talent alone doesn’t make for a memorable story.

In the end, it’s the kind of production that fades from memory as easily as it entered. The aesthetics were beautiful, and the beginning held promise, but ultimately, it lacked substance. This is a drama I’m already starting to forget as I write this review.

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All Storms Eventually Pass

There is a blessing in hitting “rock bottom.” There is only one direction to go: up. There is also a blessing in knowing that whatever problems or troubles you are having, they will pass.

Life is all about perspective. How you perceive something determines how you choose to experience it. If you don’t like the experience you’re having, then change your perspective. There is no one in existence who hasn’t endured hardships. Even masters have gone through everything you are going through and have gone through. So, what’s the difference? They simply changed their perception as well as used wisdom to ask the right questions. Life isn’t about having all of the answers but about asking the right questions. Why am I going through this? What is it that I’m trying to teach myself in this moment? The late and great Kobe Bryant never referred to his hardships as “problems.” He called them “challenges.” See how changing one word can change how you perceive something?

“Doctor Slump” is about two competitive doctors who suddenly find their lives turned upside down by circumstances. Remember the immortal words of Rocky Balboa, “Life isn’t about how hard you can hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.” And these two loveable characters get knocked down to their knees, but ultimately, they find a way to get back on their feet. This is also why, as a viewer, I found myself cheering for them both.

Dr. Yeo Jeong Woo is a brilliant plastic surgeon with a heart of gold. It’s hard to imagine this guy hurting anyone. He finds himself set up during a botched surgery that destroys his reputation and finds himself in dire, financial straits as well as facing criminal charges. And yet, he does his best to take care of his friends. Dr. Yeo Jeong Woo has a boyish charm and a wonderful sense of humor, thanks to actor Park Hyung Sik whom I’ve seen in several series. He has a gift for charm and comedy as well as being able to effortlessly harness the pain and despair he goes through.

Dr. Nam Ha Neul is an up-and-coming anesthesiologist who finds the dissertation she’s worked on being stolen and altered for a greedy, corrupt supervisor. Her own reputation is destroyed when she confronts him, even knocking him to the ground, which was far better than he deserved. Dr. Nam Ha Neul may perceive herself as weak, but she’s far stronger than she gives herself credit. Her pain and despair comes from guilt; guilt of not being there for her father as well as allowing a previous supervisor to take advantage of her. Park Shin Hye is equally captivating in her role. She has a sweetness that is undeniable and a light and glimmer in her eyes and smile. And yet, when either of these actors has moments of despair, we feel it.

The premise of this series is that no one should be afraid to seek help when needed. An even more important premise is that you are your top priority. You must take care of yourself first. It’s a losing battle to try and take care of others without, first, taking care of yourself. Putting others first is a road lined with resentment, guilt, and anger. And perhaps the third premise is learning how to be there for someone and letting them be there for you. Most people fail to realize that quite often, the best way to help someone is to just simply be there for them. It may not seem like a lot, but ultimately, it’s one of the greatest gifts you can give them. The beauty of a rock is that it’s just there. It doesn’t have to move or do anything. And everyone can be a rock for someone in their lives.

What makes this series so enjoyable is that there aren’t any needless melodramatic twists or turns. No silly love triangles or mountainous conflicts that we know are just there to add some conflict. The series is light despite the fact that it never makes light of the trials and tribulations of others or the pain that they are going through.

The greatest obstacle to pain is suppression. It’s been stated that the quickest way out of something is through it. To avoid it or try to find a way around it is to simply bring about needless suffering. Pain in life is inevitable. Suffering, however, is always optional.

Park Hyung Sik and Park Shin Hye have undeniable chemistry in this series which is why it works so well. I think they may be my favorite couple after “Our Beloved Summer.” I love the goofiness that Park Hyung Sik brings and the sweetness of Park Shin Hye as well as the fact that, while both characters are going through pain, they’re both fighters and are determined to come out on top. They are inspirational as well as captivating.

The only aspect of the series that didn’t quite work for me was the second romance between Bin Dae Young and Lee Hong Ran. It just didn’t feel needed, and it was as though the writers were trying to fill some empty space with a romance that just didn’t feel organic enough. Not to mention that the only romance that I cared about was between Yeo Jeong Woo and Nam Ha Neul.

So, the next time you get “knocked down” let this series serve as a reminder that every storm always passes. Don’t be afraid to experience pain. It’s still the quickest way out. Never give up. Keep fighting and keep moving forward. Don’t forget to make yourself the number one priority, and lastly, once you get yourself firmly anchored, be a rock for someone and just be there for them and let them be there for you.

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Laughed out loud at the start but with more serious tone in last few episodes

I watched 'Follow My Dear General' after reading a user recommending this series on reddit. What a delight!

What I liked:
1. The humour - I started this series on a morning commute to work and couldn't contain my laughter. An Chen and Xiao Tong's antics were just hilarious! Feeding medicine scene was LOL too.
2. Sisterhood - I love the dynamics between An Chen and An Mei. They are more like sisters than rivals and their interactions were always fun to watch!
3. An Chen characterisation - I love how tenacious and fiercely independent she was. She was determined to accomplish her mission but changed her mind when she realised the consequences of her mission on other people. I also like that she was aware of her identity - as a woman, as a thief.
4. Supporting characters - An Mei and Xiao Tong were my favourites. Their interactions with An Chen and General Lie were fun to watch.
5. Acting - All five actors and actresses were excellent in their roles. The most excellent IMHO is Zhang Jia Lin - she looked earnest and endearing while playing boyish An Chen and ethereal but sassy while playing girlish An Chen.

What I disliked:
1. Editing - I lost interest in the series in last quarter of the series. It was great to watch General Lie and An Chen dating but I think some episodes could be tweaked so there was better storytelling in lesser number of episodes.
2. The ending - Why is there a cliffhanger? Are we getting season 2?

Favourite scene
The fight between An Chen and An Mei in episode 1

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It's Crazy

After the huge success of Only Friends , First and Khaotung are back . It's difficult to judge the show by watching only first episode but if the starting is well then the ending must be well .

Again First & Khaotung nailed their roles . Their acting skills are improving day by day . Most eye catching part is their visuals , it's really eye candy . Dunk's acting is not bad but he needs to focus more . The story line is engaging and it's really unique from other traditional school type of stories . Khaotung is doing different type of characters and his expressions for every single scenes , are likable . We know GMMTV background music is always worst , same in this series . The music is too loud and Dunk sometime screamed loud which is kinda unlikable .
This drama is funny , after watching so many emotional dramas , this is going to be our medicine .

Overall we are hoping for the best . Watch it , this series is really good .

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Uma boa história é uma história autosuficiente

Até onde assisti (episódio 6), essa série está me surpreendendo. Não há um enredo super complicado por trás da produção e isso é o que a torna tão preciosa. Essa série não necessita de um enxurrada de elementos para prender a atenção dos telespectadores; ela já o faz apenas com a sua simplicidade. Ao mesmo tempo em que eu exalto o caráter simples do enredo, tenho de admitir que sua carga emocional, se bem analisada, é bastante densa e carregada de uma baita importância, sendo construída em cima de dois aspectos principais: as experiências de um garoto ferido pela família e a representação de um personagem deficiente auditivo. Essa convergência de histórias traz algo encantador à obra, que, interpretada por atores talentosíssimos, prende-te por todo o episódio.

De verdade, recomendo muito dar-lhe uma chance; você não irá se arrepender ?.

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Two co-workers pass like ships in the night

I really wanted to like this drama. It looked promising in the previews. On the plus side, it gets right to the action without unnecessary side characters. This is primarily a two-character study. Jung Jae Bin as Mr. Han is unlikeable from the start. He's the cliche dirty old man stereotype. The twist here is Yun Su, played by Jeon Hu Bin, is the handsome office assistant instead of the cliche woman-as-sex-object character. There's never sufficient motivation for YunSu to be attracted to Han and, true to the way Han's character is drawn, YunSu is mostly repelled by his leering advances as bad habits like smoking and drinking to excess. Things get more interesting in Episode 5 when Mr. Park appears, but he comes too late to save this story. Also the female interest, the character Choi, is wasted. She could have been a confidant and advisor to Yun Su. In fact, it's never clear what their relationship is. The mysterious recruiter Hwang provides the comic relief, always appearing at embarssing moments. Given that Yun Su was never really interested in Mr. Han, I speculated that he'd end up with recruiter Hwang in a surprise twist. No such luck. The photography and settings are stunning, but the music is a bit elementary. They would have been better off with stock music. I look forward to seeing Jeon Yu Bin in a BL story with a stronger script. The kissing scenes were unusually bold here. Some reviewers have complained these BL dramas aren't "gay" enough but frankly any story where two guys are actually friendly to each other is unusual enough without getting bogged down in romantic love cliches. We've seen all of those tropes a million times in straight dramas.

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the hype was all worth it

he hype this series had was all worth it!

with the season 2 coming, I finally decided to give it a shot. when it came out I was too scared to watch it - I literally had a nightmare after watching the trailer with the Green Light, Red Light game.

but this time I decided to give it a shot. I admit, my first thought was knowing that Wi Ha-jun was there because he was the only actor in the series I knew well because I saw other kdramas of it. but the main reason why I wanted to watch it was because of its social critique.

I've seen many youtube videos that did analyses of the series, explained some details and the plot as a whole. although those video had spoilers and I already knew who lived and who died, my expectations were surpassed because I genually thought that the plot was only the games but is so much more than that.

besides showing children's game and the hideous deaths the characters had, it shows some nuances of the characters, like their background, their evolution throughout the game, their relationships with one another, bonding, everything. that was so beautiful to watch and gave so much depth to the characters, even the ones who just got their spotlight in one or two espisodes. adding to that, the critique that has against society showing what people would desperatly do for and, the part that I liked and enfuriated me the most, the representation of hierarchies and how the elites at the top love to the see the ground burn... only for their pure pleasure.

overall the series was absolutely magnificent and I'm really excited to see what season 2 brings.

(review written on my Letterboxd)

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Series of the year!

I really really love this series so far and I bet I'll love it even more going forward. I really like the dynamics of the characters and how that feeling of young love is portrayed. It's very fun, makes me laugh a lot (especially the friend groups of the main characters) and is exactly what I need after a long week. An amazing romcom that will leave you excited to see the romance bloom as well as what the future holds for the main characters and their friend groups. 10/10 fr if you need something to make you feel butterflies and to make you smile <3 Forcebook really are doing an amazing job bringing novel Arc and Arm to life!

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