I am not much of a fan of time splits, time travel or variation of the sort, but the premise of this drama sounded promising. In the beginning, I enjoyed the banter between the leads. Z. Tao carries enough pizzazz as the domineering boss whose mission in life is to torment his employee/former classmate/ex-rival/secret crush. Song Zu Er, on the other hand, was inconsistent. Sometimes, her portrayal of Qian Wei can come off as whiney and unlikeable, but I wasn’t sure if that’s the way her character was written, or if the acting wasn’t up to par.

Adding to my initial annoyance is this self-proclaimed hero, Li Chong Wen. As far as Second lead goes, he’s not exactly a formidable contender, except perhaps that the ML should learn from his persistence. Probably if we mix Chong Wen and Lu Xun’s personalities, we would find ourselves somebody more balanced. But it is what it is, and despite saying that, he’s not the worst SML in the history of SMLs.

The rest of the characters were not very memorable for me, and through no fault of the cast. They were mostly fillers in the drama whose roles were only to propel the plot of the protagonists’ forward. The only saving grace here really is Lu Xun’s character. His quiet, and yet unwavering support of Qian Wei over the years, was equally sweet and heartbreaking to watch. Although he’s prickly and seems indifferent sometimes, he actually cares a lot about Qian Wei.

The story progressed naturally until Qian Wei wakes up from the coma. From here, you can see all the efforts she tried to get Lu Xun to confess his feelings. But instead of confronting him outright, she employed some sneaky tactics to achieve her goal. I temporarily lost interest at this point. Instead of trying to confirm his feelings for her, I think she should show more reciprocity to do things for him as he did for her all these years. Although she attempted to do so, work-wise, helping him with the case; outside of this, there’s very little else to show that she indeed fell in love with him out of her own accord, and not because of him being nice to her.

After finishing this drama, I felt it somehow anticlimactic. While the drama was in the coma state, I couldn’t wait for Qian Wei to wake up. But once she did, I couldn’t wait for them to go back to that dream state. Although this drama isn’t bad, you will have to suspend your disbelief and just go with the flow in order to make sense of it. 

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At first I thought this would be one of those shows tackling disability as if it was a plot device to keep a relationship going, but while it may have started as how Yukiko and Morio know of each other, it wasn’t a show to gratify the condition.

Whereas other dramas might fail in undertaking the topic of blindness, this one succeeds. This drama does not give you a chance to feel pity for Yukiko, because you see her determination to overcome her inability to see like others. She uses the resources available to her, and where it is lacking, she creates and looks for opportunities to improve.

Instead of feeling sad for Yukiko, I ended up rooting for her like how Morio did in the show. His belief in her strength and tenacity was adorable. And while I appreciate how he supports his girlfriend, it only highlighted the time he has on his hands, that I forget he had a part-time job only after he met Yukiko. Nevertheless, Morio’s redemption arc from delinquent to dependable is to be noted.

Speaking of redemption arcs, I have a beef with the second leads. I cannot fathom how Shishio, who used to fight Morio all the time, ends up being actually in love with him? Logic not computing, but also makes sense. Is this like: boys who bully girls, secretly have a crush on the girl? He gives Morio a job at his grandmother’s store, helps him be his wingman, and later becomes his potential brother-in-law even though he’s gay? What in the fantasy world is this? Meanwhile Izumi, who is Yukiko’s sister, has poor taste in men. She’s also overprotective of her sister, and yet she seems to be the weaker of the two. And because everyone needs a partner, they just lump these two incompatible characters with each other.

Aside from its flaws, this show is a decent watch, especially when they included the educational snippets from Hamada Yutaro, a blind comedian whose jokes flew over my head because I don’t have cued-canned laughter.

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I have mixed feelings about this drama, not because of the large age gap between the two main characters, but how it’s being presented.

We learn that, in order to save their restaurant, Ichika’s family arranged a marriage of convenience for one of the daughters. In the beginning, it was Ichika’s younger sister who was supposed to enter that marriage, but at the last minute, she backed out because 1) she was also older than the groom 2) she did not want to be stuck in a loveless marriage 3) somebody else who liked her proposed to her. All good reasons NOT to agree to a contract marriage.

But then we see Ichika agreeing to this contract marriage because of her outdated (and perhaps believable) concepts compared to her younger sister, who had a more idealistic view of the world. Being a widow in 50s Japan, Ichika basically consigned herself to a lesser role in the kitchen despite her excellent culinary skills. Her belief that a woman in a patriarchal society will never amount to being a head chef, let alone operate a business, is one that is valid considering what is the norm at that time. However, just because society has traditionally accepted a certain thought does not mean it couldn’t be changed for the better. And this is where Amane, her new husband, comes in.

Despite his young age, Amane is very sensible and has the business acumen to support Ichika in her dreams of managing her own cuisine. He quietly does things for his new wife without her awareness. Amane’s contribution to Ichika’s efforts later came to fruition when she finally salvages her family restaurant from ruin.

If you are expecting romance from this drama, don’t. This show is mostly about the food and how one woman’s dreams came true despite the obstacles in her way. Amane’s growing affection for Ichika looks very one-sided to me. I am not sure if it’s because of how the characters are written or the lack of chemistry between the two actors is the reason for this. The most I can see between Ichika and Amane is like how a big sister dotes on her much younger brother.

This drama is more like a PSA for food or for feminism, or both.

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Just by the premise alone, you can tell that this drama will be full of tropes, including, but not limited to: Rich Man/Poor Woman, Boss/Employee, Fake Relationship, Contract Marriage, etc. So, going in, I already expected that it would be a show filled with cliches, and probably have ill-timed laughter that serves no purpose except to be adorable. And this show just does that in the beginning.

We are presented with a female lead who had to grapple with so many false accusations because of her looks. It was one problem that is supposedly plaguing someone so pretty that you are supposed to feel sorry for her, and thus a young, handsome man (not to mention rich) falls on her lap to solve all her issues. It’s all fine and dandy until the latter half of the show.

Here, the drama tried to incorporate heavier topics like the implication of infidelity, implied abuse and other conflicts that came out of left field, that I wonder whether even if it’s the same story we are dealing with. We also see Ayaka's family being supportive of her despite their financial struggles. My only gripe here is that they seem to be happy despite their dire situation, with so many mouths to feed and a baby on the way. Haven’t they ever heard of condoms?

Nevertheless, it is a decent effort by the production crew, especially by the main leads who carried most of the drama weight on their shoulders.

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If you like "Sex and City" type's realistic take on dating in the 21st century, then this series is for you. It certainly is more risque than your average Korean rom-com (of course it is still considered tame compared to Western shows), and gives you a candid peek on the romantic and sex lives of 30+ Korean city gals without the fluff. Finally some real HOT action. Choices that some characters made can be questionable but that is the appeal of this drama - that life is not neatly compartmentalized into A or B packages...and it is the journey and not the end that matters.

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This is unexpectedly cute and sweet. The joys and confusion of having a middle school crush are being explored in this drama. For years, Takagi has been one-upping Nishikata in terms of jokes and pranks that the latter becomes frustrated. But every time Nishikata thinks he has gotten his revenge on Takagi, she outsmarts him. Despite this, both spend more time with each other than they ought to be, when Nishikata is supposed to dislike Takagi.

I loved the passive-aggressiveness of Takagi, juxtaposed with the naivete of Nishikata. Tsukishima Rui is fantastic as the witty girl who is harboring a not-so secret crush on her classmate. Meanwhile, Kurokawa Souya is adorable as Nishikata. His expressions are on point, especially when he becomes surprised that Takagi always got the better of him.

Their innocent flirtation is the crux of this story, and how they are more bonded to each other than they realize, particularly by the oblivious Nishikata. This drama captures the essence of that first sweet instance of blooming love, that I am too afraid to watch the sequel lest that bubble break.

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I usually avoid dramas where one or both of the main characters has a child, because of my own peculiar reason since childhood, but both instances, including this drama, surprised me as this is the second time where the kid stole the show.

Like in “Unforgettable Love,” the child actor was so precocious and lovely as he became the catalyst where the two leads get together. I couldn’t believe that Cui Yi Xin was only around 6 or 7 yrs old when this drama was filmed. Quan Quan seemed more mature than his young age and perhaps because he had to go through a lot due to his heart condition.

The leads were not too shabby, even though it’s the first time I’ve seen either of them. In the beginning, Wang Yu Wen came across as bland and lacking personality, especially in contrast with Ma Xin Rui’s character, Cao Mu, who is spunky as Min Hui is dry. But throughout the show, she develops a backbone as she fights the injustices of sexual harassment and other political games that people were playing against her.

On the other hand, Wang Zi Qi balances the jilted ex-lover Xin Qi who misunderstood Min Hui’s intentions, and the protective boyfriend he later became to be. Although, at some point, he turned into a bit of a stalker, following Min Hui around the city to get into her good graces, while finding intel on her non-consequential blind dates. Some might get put off with this, but the drama defends this behavior as permissible since there was no malice behind it.

Speaking of which, I find it really laughable that Xin Qi spends most of the drama pursuing Min Hui that I wonder when he actually works as a CEO of a large company. Ru Ji mocks this trope in one of his later conversations with Zi Zhu, that only in a drama world, where a character can be with their beloved 24/7. There’s also a lot of contrived instances I found disbelieving. For instance, Quan Quan had multiple run-ins with Xin Qi because he had the freedom to roam the halls of the hospital or wait outside alone. He was also asked a few times not to open doors to strangers while his mother was out running errands. It was fortunate that all these encounters were with Xin Qi, who he later discovered to be his father, otherwise I would have been terrified by the thought of him being taken away by an unscrupulous person.

There’s also that coincidence where Cao Mu’s boyfriend, happens to be the brother of Min Hui’s acquaintance, who happens to live at the same orphanage as Xin Qi. Talk about a small (drama) world. Talking about Cao Mu and her boyfriend, it was cute in the beginning until it wasn’t. But their pairing was better than Ru Ji’s and Zi Zhu’s, despite Ru Ji’s insistence to the contrary, that no, Zi Zhu isn’t a replacement. I lost interest in these four people after they coupled up and their chemistry fizzled.

Although the business back story provided the characters with material to work with, it didn’t captivate me as much as I anticipated. The Be Agile tech company serves only as a platform to showcase Min Hui’s intelligence, and the hostile takeover was only a way to bring the antagonist Qi Rang back into the fold. The drama started strong, and the ending was solid, but was mostly soft in the middle.

The absence of Quan Quan in the back half of the drama was palpable. I kept wondering, who is babysitting the child? Where is he and who is he staying with? The drama tried to cram so many things in the last few episodes, like we finally see Xin Qi working until he collapses because of exhaustion. Then besides all this, the villains did not get their just desserts, or at least, it wasn’t satisfactory to my taste. Are we supposed to forgive Xi Yue for all the things that she has done to destroy Min Hui? And how about Qi Rang? Yes, authorities arrested and convicted him for the sexual harassment he committed against Min Hui years ago, but what about his illegal dealings? Also, Xin Di’s absence in the main couple’s wedding is a glaring omission. The two secretaries were there, why not her?

But all in all, a decent drama about second chances.

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I had to do a double-take when I watched the first few episodes. I thought it was Cheng Yi playing Xiao Se until I realized it wasn’t. (I don’t check the actor list before watching a drama). Anyway, though Cheng Yi remains a favorite, Li Hong Yi deserves praise for his portrayal for the cheeky and cunning Xiao Se, who is as removed from the Marial Arts world he used to dominate, as he is much embroiled with it because of his real identity.

Also, upping up their games are Liu Xue Yi as Wu Xin and Li Xin Ze as Tang Lian. I’ve seen both of them mostly in support roles, and I finally got to see them shining in their major roles. Not to be outdone, Ao Rui Peng easily portrays the happy-go-lucky Wu Jie, whose naivete is endearing. As for the two other female characters, unfortunately, I find them a little lacklustre. I do not know if it’s intentional or not, but these female characters seemed weaker than their male counterparts, and I am unsure if it’s due to the acting or the writing. Since Ruo Yi had a backstory of being a sickly child, it’s understandable that her martial arts prowess wasn’t as advanced as the others. But for a supposedly skilled fighter such as Si Kong Qian Luo, I am not sure why production forced a love line on her with Xiao Se, when there’s none to be found. They look more like a pair of siblings than a romantic couple. I don’t understand why production forced a love line on Si Kong Qian Luo and Xiao Se when there is no chemistry between them. Removing it would not impact the plot.

The rest of the characters were multi-dimensional and well-portrayed. There’s an abundance of personalities to keep the side-quests intriguing. The main plot itself is rich and intricate, without being too convoluted. I enjoyed the backstories, especially those of the martial art masters and immortal deities who predated the younger generation.

Speaking of the young ones, I admire the camaraderie among the group, especially the unusual bond between Xiao Se and Wu Xin. They are total opposites of each other, in terms of personality, upbringing and identity, and yet they are very in tune with each other’s thoughts and motivation. They may disagree sometimes, but they have the utmost respect for each other. Also along their journey, the team built a bond of trust where they can rely on each other to do their own parts. And it is their journey that I found entertaining, and it’s all kudos to the scriptwriters and the production crew. Also to be commended are the expertly choreographed fights, the carefully-thought-out strategies, the intricate costumes made by the production company.

Overall, this is such a great watch, even if they didn’t incorporate romantic elements. It was so hard for me to even decide where to put this in my top 20 list as China has been producing a lot of amazing Wuxia/Xanxia in the last five years but this one is certainly in my top 5 Historical Chinese dramas (as of this writing).

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I’m not sure what to say about this drama that I neither love nor hate. Maybe it’s easier if I started breaking the parts I enjoyed. So what I liked:

1) Hirose Alice’s acting as the thirty-something year old woman who got a fresh start in life by entering a college to study what she missed out on a decade ago because of an unfortunate accident (apparently, she had quite a few of these). Her quirky expressions when she’s excited, and her stern face when she’s focused, were all captured on film.

2) The various characters living in a shared house. Their camaraderie, despite their distinct personalities, was refreshing and natural. They supported each other in their school work and their respective career paths. When there’s a disagreement, they talked it out or gave advice when requested, but mostly they listened to each other.

3) The inspiring messages the show imparts about not giving up, nor is it too late to pursue your dreams at any age as long as you strive for the path you created.

Now on the parts where I thought were disappointing:

1) I love noona romances, but the main pairing lacked chemistry. I’m not even expecting sizzling or hot-for-each-other attraction. But it wasn’t even lukewarm. Not to say Michieda wasn’t adorable as Taku, but it seemed like forced attachment on his part when paired with Sayako. So it was difficult for me to buy into their romance. All I see are two people who play a lot of rock-paper-scissors.

2) There are half-baked characters in the drama that don’t really serve a purpose for me, and are easily forgettable.

3) The time skips that flashed rapidly at the end. Are we supposed to believe that neither of them even attempted to contact each other during those years? I get it that both of them are doing what they thought it would be good for the other person, sacrificing their relationship so both can focus on their career. But if Shogo didn’t tell Taku that Sayako rejected him long ago, would Taku have gone back and looked for Sayako? And she’s no better at the end, postponing marriage until when she’s settled? Until what, she turns 50 and is too late to have kids?

Anyway, watching this drama is like expecting a firework display but ended up with just a birthday candle.

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Story: It's predominantly about a sheltered, young man who strives to meet his parent's expectations but also wants to live a life for himself. So when Francis reconnects with Tommy, he follows the latter around town, neglecting his studies and piano lessons.

Acting: Decent enough to portray the relationship between two boys just hanging out.

Music: Nothing to write home about.

Rewatch Value: Once is enough.

Overall Impression: When I searched for other reviews of this short to serve as comparison, there's hardly anything that could be found. Instead another HK film of the same name, the one that uses the 2019 HK protests as a backdrop, was the one usually featured. So it made sense to me, that this particular short, barely registered on the radar. And so is my opinion of the film.

The only pivotal scene that I could commend is the one where Francis finally had his outburst in the final moments. He finally snapped after being subjected to other pursuits he really does not have any interest in. For his mother to profess to care about Francis, she did not do a good job of understanding where he is coming from nor what he really wants in life.

But even with this statement, I wasn't quite sold on what the film was trying to portray, aside from the reality of gay teens living in the shadows of their true nature.

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Story: It's about a boy telling a story about two boys to another boy. In the boy's story, the two boys are best friends. But wouldn't you know it: the boy telling the story is also the best friend of the boy who is listening to this story. What a coincidence! And that the boy telling the story, is planning to do a movie about this story. Or at least, that's what he said he was doing.

Acting: Good enough for two people sitting at a coffee shop.

Music: Barely noticed.

Rewatch Value: Short and adorable enough to repeat.

Overall Impression: What an ingenious concept for a confession. At least Dong Young is self-aware enough not to expect much from his best friend aside from maintaining their friendship. And it's a healthy reaction from Jung Min, accepting his best friends feelings without indulging in it. Nobody died, it's a win for me.

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This drama is about two best friends suddenly being tasked with hosting a podcast about love and sex. Neither are really in a capacity to give professional advice, but they do lend a listening ear. On one hand, Mi Na only dallies with casual hook-ups, and is not looking for anybody for more than a romp in the hay. Meanwhile, Hee Jee is stuck in a boring rut with her longtime boyfriend, who cares more about what’s on screen than carrying an actual conversation with his girlfriend. Though neither of them feels jealous of each other’s situation, sometimes they wish to improve their love and sex lives.

In the eight brief episodes, we see both women grappling with the idea that there is more to life than just having meaningless sex, and comparatively, that they are not obligated to stay with one person just because it is easy and convenient. Change is a thing; yes, it could be scary, but the braver you are to explore what you truly want, the more rewarding your life experience will be.

Both Ahn Hee Yeon and Bae Woo Hee’s portrayal of these women come across as natural. The two male leads are not too shabby as well. I find the drama very refreshing as it tackles mature topics with candidness. I love how both female characters developed as individuals when exploring relationships outside of their comfort zone. The drama fearlessly delves into different perspectives on romance and sexual relationships that may not align with conventional values or beliefs, but are not deemed wrong or right, nonetheless.

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This drama started out slow, but after a few episodes, the story picked up and became more interesting as it went. I like the juxtaposition of characters and I’ve seen both leads in other works and they’ve already proven their acting prowess there, especially when I have viewed four of Zhang Ling He’s works before I watched this one. So I knew what I was expecting. Who surprised me though is Ryan Cheng. I didn’t realize he was also the main in “A Familiar Stranger,” but maybe it’s because his character there wasn’t as flushed out as Gong Shang Jue’s.

The characters in this drama are multi-dimensional, that they are not necessarily “all good” or “all evil.” Despite what has been portrayed, most of them have the freedom of choice, whether to follow along the path that was created for them, or carve out one for themselves. This is why I admire Yun Wei Shan’s character and Yu Shu Xin’s portrayal of a skilled assassin. She cleverly integrated herself into the Gong family and made her own judgment, not solely relying on what had been fed to her, while also following the edicts of her organization.

Gong Zi Yu, for his part, turned from a playboy to a love-struck fool, from a supposedly incompetent “spare” to become the new Sword Wielder. Throughout his journey through the trials, Gong Zi Yu has proven himself to be more than a sitting duck everyone assumes him to be. His ingeniousness, coupled with his compassion for the people, made him a formidable leader.

I find myself second-guessing the true nature of the characters, which is rare for me as I have usually found them predictable in other shows. Even I find the pairing of Gong Zi Shang (Zi Yu’s sister) and Jin Fan (Zi Yu’s guard) hilarious. Perhaps the only person I truly detested here is Shangguan Qian. I really have no tolerance for her type of character, through no fault of the actress.

As for other aspects, the production, cinematography and the costumes were breathtaking. Likewise, the plot here is also intricate and engaging. Everything here in this drama is smoke and mirrors, and it is up to these characters to decipher the truth from all of it.

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Story: A collection of erotic shorts about men fantasizing about other men in uniforms.

Acting: No better than amateur porn stars.

Music: Maybe the sound of beeping horns can even lull you to sleep.

Rewatch Value: Not bored enough to do so again.

Overall Impression: This feature is actually just glorified porn trying to pass as avant-garde film. The stream of consciousness monologuing may impart some life truths that may seem profound, but they are overly gratuitous. I will not totally give this a zero though, but maybe an F for F-fort.

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It started out interesting until it wasn’t. Let’s start with the simple part and discuss the second couple, where Murao persistently followed Tanaka Yoichi despite his rejection, not because she was unattractive, but because she was a teenager. Despite being warned about the consequences of being involved with an adult and a faculty member at her school, she did not seem deterred. I really have no patience for people who are only concerned about their own feelings, despite bringing other people into trouble and not thinking about the consequences of their actions. That being said, I mostly overlooked the parts with those two.

Now on to the leads. The premise of their meet-cute was interesting, seeking refuge in a desolate corner from the rain (of course!) Then their friendship blossomed because of their quirkiness and commonality. And it all changed when Tanaka transferred to another school. Upon his return, Tanaka-now-Mabuchi becomes less carefree, and more aloof, even towards Futaba whom he liked back then.

We later learned that Kou had a hard time dealing with his mother’s passing, hence his dreary and detached attitude, which was perfectly understandable. But that doesn’t mean he can take out all his frustrations and dump them on his friends. I can understand how grief can change people’s personalities, and the first time he abruptly left Futaba without saying a word, was undesirable but reasonable. However, for a guy to keep doing this time and time again to a girl whom he supposedly likes, would not fly with me.

I used to root for Kou and Futaba to be together, but Yoshioka deserves better. Kou keeps ditching her and giving all these excuses, then becomes angry when someone else becomes interested in her. He’s just treating her like a toy, losing interest in playing with her until another child enjoys it. He even admitted to his friend, that even if he likes Futaba, he has no intention of dating her. Then he brushes off the accidental kiss as if it’s no big deal and gets upset when she ignores him as he did to her?????

Towards the end of the first series, I was no longer invested in their story and wished for Futaba to be with Kiuchi instead. At least Kiuchi is consistent, and transparent with his feelings. If Kou cannot prioritize Futaba, then she’s not that important to him. He could have sent a simple text, saying he will be late or that even if he can go to the festival, he needs to be somewhere else later. Anything really to give Futaba at least the time of the day as she had provided him. But no, he ghosts her and is more concerned about his classmate just because they shared the same pain of losing someone close to them.

If Futaba insists to be with Kou, what next? On the day of their wedding, something comes up again that he’s unable to attend? But hey, if that’s the kind of guy she prefers, then she better be prepared for the consequences and don’t come crying. I’m so pissed to even watch the second season. It’s not worth it to keep my blood boiling.

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