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bedofroses

Saturn

bedofroses

Saturn
Completed
You Are My Secret
35 people found this review helpful
Aug 16, 2024
32 of 32 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers

A really fun and enjoyable watch, must watch for people who enjoy this genre!

First thing first, I did come here for the trope of marriage (of convenience?) and I wanted to see them explore that relationship with their work and life. Sure, they had a nice relationship (I'm a fan) but I feel somehow misled by the synopsis and the few beginning episodes here because there is no marriage. I get it, they were practically married only but they were not. I was looking forward to something complex like say a break up (just an example), etc. Honestly, maybe that's why this is not a perfect 10 for me because this is not what I expected going in.

But facts be facts, what we do get in actuality is absolutely beautiful and amazing. This show has given me three of the healthiest relationships or approaches to a relationship (with the best friend) I've seen in Cdramas for a very very long time. Nobody is perfect and neither were our characters here. I was pissed with Xiao Ning for the blind date, I have been mad at Yu Heng for his absolutely poor communication skills and Rao Jing came off as very offensive at first. But how the show slowly unpacks all these characters, their quirks and individualities is beyond amazing. I have enjoyed watching the relationship develop between our leads and how they've constantly supported one another, resolved their issues like mature adults and maintained their work-life balance. Similarly, Rao Jing and Zhao Fang have given me some of the most hilarious moments in this show and their banter is really fun to watch. They complement each other perfectly and it's nice to see how ZF helps RJ heal her wounds. Lastly, for the best friend, I loved the mature take on the relationship. I agreed 100% that neither of them was wrong and for them to acknowledge that and face reality needs strength. Sometimes you just need to prioritise yourself and your own morals/dreams/desires. All in all, we see three healthy relationships where they tackle issues instead of running from them.

The other aspect I quite enjoy is how they've not shown women as these pseudo-intellectuals. We finally have female friendships where their advice to one another is well thought out, practical and actually helpful - instead of being super toxic. Also how none of the women overstepped their boundaries and gave the leads (in their respective stories) the decision-making power without influencing them. I liked this mature and more realistic take on friendship. No one really has the time to gossip with friends every day after a tiring day at work and no, you do not let your friends dictate every single step you take in a relationship - good on them for portraying that!

Another thing - usually shows with 32 episodes become a drag. I did not feel that way with this one. The story flew very nicely and coherently and not much felt like it was out of place. I'm someone who likes business plots, so I've enjoyed the business aspect, team bonding, and how they worked together as well.

I also think all the actors have done really well in their roles. Xiao Han made me despise her character and the parents were entertaining to watch. Everyone has worked well!

Overall, this is a really great show with a good storyline (though misleading), a nice soundtrack, brilliant acting and a good pace. I've not seen Karlina's works before and I have to say, I've become a fan. She's so stunning and good at her work. You should definitely give this one a try, it'll be worth your time!

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Completed
The Best Day of My Life
34 people found this review helpful
Aug 1, 2024
14 of 14 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 6.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 5.0
This review may contain spoilers

Started strong but went downhill towards the end, such a shame!

This show started really strong for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the sweet chemistry between the leads. How I see it, I don’t see a sizzling chemistry between the leads, as you do for the second couple, however, they look good together and complement one another. The acting is also really great by both of the leads and I wish to see them in more works in the future.

However, somewhere towards the middle, the show became a little drag. For a short series of 14 episodes with episodes not that long as well, I feel like it was unnecessary to include some of the tropes like a second male and female lead. It was not even executed well because it was so short that it felt like it was included just for the sake of having that drama instead of actually getting something out of it. Similarly, there were a lot of things happening without any context. Really poor writing and direction towards the middle which made me question if the writer has changed. They’re getting married out of nowhere and many other things happen like that which leave you questioning the entire plot and what exactly is happening.

For instance, Episode 13, though cute, was such a filler episode. No substance whatsoever. They're adding any random fight, argument, or misunderstanding now just to stretch it to 14 episodes. So many good subplots have been missed by their writing team like the business aspect (for the show focusing on her job so much at the start, that is barely covered anymore) or how they got married or even a better confession. As it is now, it starts feeling lame/repetitive/boring to me towards the second half. This was such a good plot, they definitely needed better scriptwriters.

The story in itself is quite simple, straight forward and sweet. I somewhat enjoyed it despite the lack of coordination because I enjoyed their scenes together quite a lot, so I kept my brain aside while watching. It’s an easy and fluffy romance that is a nice watch. Would recommend it for people who’re looking for some cute fluffy romance, no angst per se and no melodrama or toxic people per se (other than that one co-worker). Quite an easy watch (with too many plot holes).

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Completed
Romance in the House
7 people found this review helpful
Sep 17, 2024
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 7.5
This review may contain spoilers

Easy and fun :)

This show was a definite rollercoaster ride for me. There were instances I absolutely laughed my heart out and enjoyed but then there were times when I hated it so much.

What I did not like:
1. The gaslighting of the daughter's feelings. It feels like although the family and society were largely accepting of her feelings, they did overlook them under the garb of "too much pressure/responsibility" or whatever that nonsense was invalidating her feelings.
2. Too much interference in relationships - while the daughter's feelings were valid, her babying her mother so much as to interfere in her relationships was just a pain to watch.
3. How bad they did to Sanha's character. He's been so poorly written when in fact it could have been a strong storyline. We see that in the last 2-3 episodes. Way too much emphasis on the same old "how did he make the money" mystery. It gets old after a point of time.

What I liked:
They addressed most if not all the issues I have which I like. The dislikes 1 and 2 are more like character flaws, which we have to accept considering character development is the entire point of watching the drama. I like how Mi-rae grows as a person and her mother grows as an independent woman. I like how they made these characters human, who though wrong, learn from it over time and do better. I also found many instances to be funny. It was a light and easy watch for me that I thoroughly enjoyed. Also, as a Minho fan, it was so endearing to watch him in this role. He's super cute and I'm all for it. The man is fine af. Also, the acting by Jin Hee is top-notch. He's just as good as one would expect him to be. I also like how they have given equal weightage to both relationships and given so much time to a rather mature couple, which we rarely see. It's been a fun ride.

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Completed
As Beautiful as You
16 people found this review helpful
Jul 23, 2024
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 7.0
This review may contain spoilers

An electrifying chemistry and the sheer brilliance of Xu Kai almost makes up for everything else

I’m not gonna lie, the story here is quite poor. If you’re someone like me, who enjoys business plots and strong female leads (distinguished from pseudo-strong leads), then you’re going to be in a place where you’ll want to pull out all your hair out of frustration in many instances.

I say this here after interacting a lot in the comments and being attacked by people for voicing any opinion other than sheer love for the show. This page has been quite hostile and unlike every other show I’ve followed when it comes to voicing a less popular opinion. Still, that is not going to make me change my opinion. You’re free to disagree! :)

The writers have done pretty badly to the female lead and other female characters in the show. The show follows all the usual tropes that you notice in your Chinese dramas - so nothing new there. You have an absolutely annoying second female lead who does not take no for an answer and just wants to ruin the main leads. Then you have your average family drama, often noticed in most business dramas. For them to show such strong business rivalry, there is much less screentime given to the sister and her thoughts that you’re just not able to understand where her problem lies other than the basic point of rivalry. Now onto the main lead, they have tried their best to show her as a strong character but it falls flat in your face when you actually analyse her character without being biased and trying to separate her from Seven Tang. She is shown as an incredible engineer - but that is where it ends. She starts a business without literally any research or without consulting with people close to her (read: her boyfriend with whom she is considering a life), she has no business skills and does not take advice when given which results in one failure/problem after another - all stemming from the same cause, she is shown as considerate but often fails to understand the ML, etc. etc. All this points at a pseudo-strong character (possibly written with very basic understanding of feminism and strong females in business) that fails to interest you and makes me quite angry with just how opposite of strong she comes across as. Also, the business aspect - that does not go just for the FL, most things here do not make any logical sense when it comes to how business, management and investing take place in the real world.

So then what makes the show worth your time? It definitely was worth my time and I would watch this show again and again (barring certain aspects).
1. The sheer brilliance of Xu Kai - I have seen a few of his works before so I’m not surprised that he acts so well. But I’ve noticed a different kind of aura around him that I’ve not noticed before and it makes me very attracted to him and his character.
2. The brilliant fashion sense for most of the characters - I have really enjoyed watching some great clothes in this drama
3. The wonderful character of Lili - it is not often that you come across an actually strong female character in Chinese shows. This is one character that I’ve absolutely loved. She is not afraid of going after what she wants, knows her demons and is vulnerable like just any human, values herself to know when to tell the guy off, boldly accepts what gives her pleasure, stands her ground and does not need anyone to protect her in the business world and so much more. Is she flawless? No. But who is? She is a strong independent woman and I’m all for it
4. Last but MOST IMPORTANT, is the stunning chemistry between our two main leads. Their acting has been so natural and the two have come across as a very beautiful and mature couple. I like that they maintain their individual identities even while dating and are not afraid to call each other out. I also like how they grew in their characters after the breakup and came back even stronger - all signs of a healthy relationship (only post the break-up, the FL was VERY VERY TOXIC BEFORE THAT AND NEVER APOLOGISED FOR HER BULLSHIT AND HAD ZERO COMPREHENSION SKILLS AND I'M STILL SALTY ABOUT THAT). Nothing seems forced between the two and it has been quite a pleasure to watch their romance evolve. And not just as characters, even the actors have suited one another and have created a work that will go down with a place of its own. They have brilliant sparks flying and you just can’t help swooning over them.

I would definitely recommend this show for the stunning romance but would leave a word of caution: do not try to make sense of the business aspects - most of it does not make sense.

Edit: This show has one of the best endings I have ever seen in a Korean/Chinese drama. I am going to give this show extra marks just for the 10 minutes of absolute bliss that extra episode is. I'm not crying, you are!

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Completed
I Can See You Shine
3 people found this review helpful
Sep 21, 2024
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
This review may contain spoilers

I loved the entire concept of diary-exchanging and blossoming love

I have really liked this show for its portrayal of reality. People are flawed and that's exactly what we see here with our two leading ladies. One is overly self-centred and thinks everything revolves around her while the other is so reserved that she bottles everything up and keeps hurting the people who love her. What's endearing to see is their relationship with one another and those around them while having such contrasting personalities. As Sheng said, they are each other's true love and it absolutely showed. I loved the beautiful and supportive friendship these two women, and the five teenagers at large, share.

At first, I did not like Young at all. But the last episode brought a lot of redemption for her with it. She loves with all her heart and is always there for her friends. My favourite was Tung and it was such a delight to watch her character grow. This is the first time I've seen this actress, and she's so beautiful. Also, I found her acting to be the best. All five were quite suited to their roles.

I also quite liked the entire angle of the Martian and diary-exchanging (don't know what else to call it). However, my complaint remains that I wanted proper clarity on that towards the end. That's where I'm really unsatisfied with this show. For all the build-up towards Tung's love life (the story literally starts and ends with it), her story was poorly covered. I'm super annoyed with that absolutely awkward kiss and ending. Seems like such an afterthought. I wanted something better.

But all in all, it's a light and easy watch. Not many big plotholes. Also covers a variety of controversial issues (for some people) like the life of immigrants, coming out, poverty, divorce, etc. I liked how they handled most of them if not all.

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Completed
Her Disguise
3 people found this review helpful
Aug 8, 2024
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 5.0
Story 4.0
Acting/Cast 6.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 1.0

Super boring and very repetitive

I absolutely loved watching Leo Yang, he's so good.

But that's where it ended. The FL was poor at acting, with barely any expressions throughout. The story, interesting at first, got super super repetitive and boring - so much so that I had to put on hold a show which is only like 4 hours long in total, maybe less? Only my desire to bump up my "on-hold" list had me pick it up again. Plus that ending, damn. I never did well with sad endings especially with this one being unbelievable max.

Good watch for the first half - interesting twists, good chemistry, nice story introduction. However, super boring and sleep-inducing in the second half. Extremely repetitive. You just keep seeing the FL and LY being attacked for the same reason AGAIN AND AGAIN with no innovation whatsoever. Very boring storyline.

Just skip it unless you're an LY fan, he's too fine here to miss.

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Completed
Are You Sure?!
2 people found this review helpful
Sep 20, 2024
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 6.0

Hilarious and quite fun, love the dymanics!

I've stanned groups before and after BTS, but the concept of watching variety content for idols came to me with BTS. As someone who has always been so attached to the group, I was finding myself in a place where I seemed to be losing touch just because of lack of presence. This show, along with Run Jin, came at the perfect time, to lift me up and remind me as to how much and why I love this group.

I have thoroughly enjoyed watching the two of them enjoying themselves, just relaxing after the hectic life they live, finding solace in each other's company and just being so freaking happy. Their fun antics never failed to bring a smile to my face and I'm so happy for that. It is such a fun and easy watch and so hilarious, in some instances. I've always liked the dynamics of the maknae like, as much as I enjoy the whole group together, it was fun to see them in their element. This just makes me want to travel and be at peace, so that's exactly what I'm going to do.

Hope you enjoy this as much as I did!

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Completed
Miss Night and Day
2 people found this review helpful
Aug 4, 2024
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 6.0
This review may contain spoilers

Interesting amalgamation of an old storyline, unique-ish fantasy element and brilliant acting

I held off watching this show because of the mystery tag as I usually do not do well with long cliffhangers and only started watching this before the Finale aired so that I could binge-watch this and finish with the final episode, and oh my god, what fun these last two days have been!

First, the story. It's nothing new. This serial killer-like genre has been quite popular with Korean dramas and as somebody who has watched way too many of such shows, I wasn't necessarily impressed with the story per se. Just like other thrillers, it has some major plot holes and things that realistically don't make sense but they are very easy to overlook because you're so hooked onto the story. It did not have anything new but still, it stood out for me because of the fantasy element. It was very nicely done, unwrapped and wrapped up again without making me go mad. Unlike a lot of people here, I wasn't getting annoyed at the late reveal (caveat: maybe that's because I saw it in two days and did not have to actually wait for long week after week). I'm not a fan of fantasy elements and I was still able to enjoy it which means it has been nicely done.

But I think the credit for that goes to one and only Lee Jung Eun. Don't get me wrong. Everyone from the male and female leads to the supporting cast (especially Jung Young Joo) has worked beautifully and done their best, but what took this show to another level for me was the stellar acting by Jung Eun. I've watched her works before, so her brilliant acting is no surprise. What a character, what amazing comic timing and such great feels. She's given her all to the show and it really shows. She brought so much light to this otherwise heavy theme and dark-ish vibe of the show. I absolutely loved the vibe her character was oozing throughout.

One thing to note (only because it rarely happens with me and I was very very surprised) was the second lead syndrome I got in this show, until the very last episode. I'm very happy for our lead couple, they really suit each other and there was never any ill-intention by any of the characters, but omg, my heart was going all out for our Ko Won. It was my first time seeing Seo Hoo and I'm so impressed with his skills, love it! I just love how supporting all the characters in this show are shown: Ko Won, Mr Ju, Ga Yeong, and the parents. Brilliant writing of the characters!

It's a nice show with lots of light-hearted scenes. I wouldn't rate this as a romance though but even that bit has been good in the show. I have thoroughly enjoyed watching it and would definitely recommend watching it.

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Completed
Work Later, Drink Now
2 people found this review helpful
Jun 21, 2024
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 2
Overall 8.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 5.0

So much more than drinking, you'll experience that yourself if you don't quit after the first ep

I'm off work this month, so I've watched my fair share of dramas this month. I can't recall many other shows that made me cry like this one. So many feels in this show.

I was always curious about this show seeing the great response this got in Korea and I'm very happy that I gave this a chance because this is so worth it and so much more! I'm so disappointed in the ratings here and the hate in this comments section. I mean yes, alcohol is not a good thing but equally bad is the relationship between an adult and a minor but I don't see even half of this moral policing on the Goblin page or its rating. It is quite convenient for people to just pick and choose, and I'm not even surprised considering the vast difference in the popularity of the leads in both shows. PLEASE DO NOT PAY ATTENTION TO THE HYPOCRISY OF SUCH PEOPLE AND GIVE THIS SHOW AN HONEST GO. The comments here don't even begin to explain the masterpiece that this show is.

The show has a beautiful story of three friends and how they support one another through their individual hardships right from college to their adult working lives. You see them take on several hardships in all domains (love, work, health, family, etc.) that we all face in our late twenties and early thirties and show how they cope with it all. A lot of emphasis is given to their bond which also revolves around alcohol and the comedy of it all would not fail to make you laugh. I love how they stand up for one another through thick and thin and how their relationship progresses throughout the show. It's a very beautiful and calm watch.

It is important to understand the drinking culture in Korea (which is huge) before you go on to judge this show for the heavy drinking. It is actually quite normal in many cultures, maybe not in yours. Cultural insensitivity is not going to get you anywhere. They do acknowledge in their last episode how drinking excessively is bad for your health, yet they show how it forms a part of their present and past and how it helped them to cope with a lot of situations with their friends by their side. Freshly out of college, it made me reminisce about my college days and I will surely be hitting them up now for a much-needed night of just drinking and being in each other's presence. That is how our carefree days of lives are and most of us have lived those days like these people only. This show definitely reminded me of my own happy and good days with my girls and how they stood by my side. A hilarious, emotional and deeply engaging drama that will end up leaving lots of nostalgia and good vibes for you!

The acting is stellar by all the five leads (I like to count the bar owner as a lead as well) and I'm very happy with the production of it all. My only problem lies with the music, it could've been so much better.

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Completed
Fake It Till You Make It
2 people found this review helpful
Jun 4, 2024
14 of 14 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers

THIS HAS TO BE HANDSDOWN THE BEST SHOW I'VE SEEN IN A VERY VERY VERY LONG TIME

My favourite shows are usually not romantic ones but oh my god, what a journey these 14 hours have been, I don't even know where to start.

Let's first start with two things that made me start this show so late because of the comments I keep seeing here. Now this is my opinion (to which you do not have to agree) and I feel it important to mention this so that people get another perspective on the multitude of opposing opinions in the comments section here.

1. The business aspect. I 100% disagree with all the comments here which claim that the business aspect is not understandable. They do not get into the intricacies of it for the most part. I can't recall anywhere they went into the details of the law or the financial models. All they show are some scenes like client negotiations and whatever (without the actual content). I don't understand the harsh criticism of that in terms of its understandability. If the criticism was more on the point of having it all together, then it's a different argument (one that I again disagree with). But being too difficult to comprehend is just not true! What actually happens is that they show a lot of business world settings but let's be honest what did you expect from a show focused on how two workaholics (for lack of a better word and to keep it brief) fall in love? They've shown adult work-life bang on, right as it is. And as someone who's been working in the corporate, it is 1000% correct depiction of the struggles of today's youngsters who juggle work in this competitive world alongside their social lives. And we're talking about corporate lawyers and investment bankers, what did you expect if not 0 work-life balance and lots of work?? And I do not for once think that they have overdone it at any point. I feel all of that is very important to build the story as they have.

2. All the hate the sister (Xin Zi) gets. Yes, she's immature and maybe aspiring for something you don't, but come on it's her life and her wish. You cannot judge her for wanting to be a homemaker and enjoy the money the husband brings home. Not everybody wants to be in a corporate job and that's okay. We really need to be more accepting of the differences in people instead of being so judgemental. She is literally the person who has the MOST CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT on this show and I'm all for it. Love it!

What I love about this show is that they have shown such beautiful stories for all the characters and not just the leads: Wang YuSu, Da Wang, Han, Richard, Meiling and Xin Zi. They show the struggles (whether in love, life, or work) they face and the impact it has on people, how they deal with it and so on. Yes, it might be a little preachy for some, but I did not find it to be so even once. Plus, there is such fantastic chemistry between our two leads that I just can't explain how much I loved this mature, more relatable and adult couple. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy that high school and college romance my fair bit but this was just so much more exciting and fun for me. Like, after such a long time I was getting butterflies when the lead pair had their scenes. Love it!

I like how they show the character development of all three main characters here. For Xin Zi, we see her grow so much in her approach to relationships. Yes, her outlook might be wrong but we see how she learns from her mistakes and improves. That's life. You make mistakes and learn. This is something I've loved about this show. All the characters have been very human-like and relatable, not a fantasy. I was so happy for Xin Zi when she found her partner in Xia Tian after all the stalkerish abuse she went through with Jia Bai. Similarly, we see our lead couple also grow. Especially for Tang Ying, how she discovers her identity vis-a-vis her work and wants is amazing. I'm so happy she slowly learnt to prioritise her health while managing her work to be the strong independent woman she is. Also, the ML is such a green flag and has been such a support. I mean both of them supported each other, but being a career woman, I could not stop swooning over Xi Zuan's support to TY. Even he grows so much in his character, love it.

I'm so glad they did not try to add unnecessary episodes and tropes because that would've just spoiled this otherwise perfect show. You do not feel it's less (though I could do with more romantic scenes between the lead couple, but we already have enough and more given to us). It's not dragged on for no reason. It's perfect. And, after such a long time, I came across a perfect OST! I love it!

The show has a great story, brilliant acting, amazing OST and everything just goes so well altogether. This is going to be something I will always recommend to my friends and others. I hope you enjoy this show just as much as I did.

Something I'm going to take away from this show as a fellow lawyer is something Xin Zi said in the last episode: "why think so much". It's important to enjoy the present. Cheers to that!

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Completed
Moment of Silence
2 people found this review helpful
May 24, 2024
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 3.0

Good time pass but that's it.

I had to skip multiple times even with such short 10 minute episodes, so I guess that goes to say a lot about the series. I have not watched many short length series or Chinese web-series, so maybe this is common but I was not expecting it to be this straight forward and maybe even boring? Like first 2-3 episodes were good where the story was built and everything but it just got very monotonous and boring and predictable after that.

It's a good pass time watch for when you want something different to watch or are completely out of your wits. That's how I ended up on this. But it is totally skippable, nothing special that I would recommend this to anyone.

The actresses are both quite pretty! :)

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Completed
Mad for Each Other
2 people found this review helpful
May 24, 2024
13 of 13 episodes seen
Completed 4
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 7.5
This review may contain spoilers

A healing show with lots of fun and laughter touching on important topics ?

I absolutely loved this show, quite an easy watch and it's packed with interesting characters. But there are a few problems, let's start with those.

While I agree that she was broken and had issues that she was trying to deal with, she was majorly selfish and wanted everything to be as she wants. She never paid any heed to the well-being of the ML for whatever reason it may be and was always self-centred. That is not love, maybe dependence? I was sympathising with her throughout, but the second last episode just had me done with her. She did not give any chance to the ML, even when he tried to explain it to her nicely also. It just went one step ahead to show her self-centredness once again. Like I said, I understand that she is ill, but that does not justify everything you do in life. She has been horrible to the ML in countless situations and at times it just made me feel like she’s just using him again and again.

Other than that, I loved absolutely everything about this show. The way they’ve handled the sensitive topics of mental health, domestic abuse, sexual abuse, camaraderie, etc. - all the topics have been well handled and nicely conveyed. It’s a fresh breath of air from the usual ‘over-the-top’ ‘trying to fit in’ but extremely problematic mental health related shows like It’s Okay Not to be Okay and many others. Without being as loud and celebratory of mental health issues, the show aptly portrays them, and does so beautiful. There is no over the top hype created which just seems fake. Well balanced and really well executed story-telling and acting.

I quite enjoyed the subtle romance and cute moments between the leads too. While I’m not a fan of the FL, their scenes together (where she was not harassing him) were pretty enjoyable to watch. It’s a really fun watch.

On a side note, the main actress is so so pretty, cannot able. So happy to come across her work. She is a brilliant actress and just so pretty. Would definitely like to watch more of her!

All in all, it’s a good show, with a nice story line and I thoroughly enjoyed watching it. Not rewatching it since I found quite problems with the FL, but that’s just me personally. It can be overlooked easily and might even be funny for many people. Hope you have a great time watching this and enjoy it as much as I did. Cheers!

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Completed
Meet Yourself
2 people found this review helpful
May 3, 2024
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 8.5

A well-written mix of happiness, angst, sorrow, joy and excitement portrayed magically!

I once dropped this show after watching 3 episodes. They were too deep and sad for my mental state back then and I decided to stop. But I'm just so glad, months later, I gave this show another go. Best decision ever! This has to be one of my favourite shows. This show has made me wanting a WFH set-up in a beautiful airbnb in a peaceful environment so much!

What I like the most about this show is that ALL the leads have a brilliant background and story. Yes, you heard it right. You do not feel any imbalance in how they handle the multiple characters. Enough and more time is spent on the struggles, achievements and daily life of all the characters instead of being focused on only Hong Dou and Zhi Yao.

I also like how they've shown a broken yet extremely independent and sensible woman in the form of Hong Dou. She prioritises her mental health, is willing to work on herself when things are not right but overcomes it all (with the help of our wonderful characters) to get back on her feet. She does not let others guide her future and is a force to reckon with. Whether it be her family, or love, nothing gets in the way of her dreams, and that is just aspirational. What is even more amazing about this is that she does all of this without stepping on others, she considers everyone's feelings, acknowledges them and talks it out peacefully, commendable!

I also like the character of Chairman Xie. He is a self-aware and brilliant guy who knows exactly what he wants and gives his all to achieve the same. Although his character is too good to be true and very philanthropist-y for my liking, kudos to him for being like that and staying at it throughout the show. His commitment to his goal and community is commendable and it makes me look out for my own Chairman Xie.

My favourite characters though have to be of Na Na and Da Mai. They have developed beautifully over the show, given their best performances and worked magic on the screen. The bond between the two is also magical and something I aspire for. But having said that, all the actors including the village aunties and uncles, have brilliantly depicted their roles and the acting in this show is very top-notch by everyone.

What amazes me to this date is just how calm, composed and peaceful Xu Hong Dou sounds. The tranquility that sets whenever she's talking is no joke. So gentle and so sweet. It's like she could say 1000 mean things to me, and I would still be focused only on just how tranquil and gentle she sounds. I've never heard any actor portray a character like that and usually I find it very annoying but Hong Dou's tone matched the entire show and it's concept so well that it was a brilliant touch!

What I didn't like about the show is the little Chinese propaganda flowing throughout, but personally, I've learnt to overcome the same after having watched countless Chinese shows. At some point it also feels like a tourism documentary but I don't find any problem with that because the show has otherwise delivered on every single front so what's the problem with a little advertisement. I've been to Yunnan, Kunming and Dali and hands down the beauty of these places needs to be shared with everyone.

If you're looking for a feel-good, deep, and absolutely BRILLIANT show, then don't think twice. THIS IS IT. I can't recommend this show enough to everyone. What an amazing 35 hours of my life. Cheers! 🌸

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Completed
Aoshima-kun wa Ijiwaru
1 people found this review helpful
Sep 20, 2024
9 of 9 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 6.0
This review may contain spoilers

Nothing great but finally a coherent story in a Jdrama (for me)

My review will be biased because I've been so disappointed by Jdramas in the past that this seems gold, lol.
Finally, a coherent story that was also enjoyable. It is not the best story, and even the acting is not the best, but the ML really tried. And the story progression makes sense. For once I was not pulling my hair out while watching a Japanese drama.

I feel like the mother's drama was unnecessary and not needed a lot. It was pretty short to be fair, but in 9 episodes, even that seems long. Other than this one thing, I didn't really find anything to complain about per se.

For the FL to be experienced, her reactions to any sort of intimacy were quite hilarious. Nonetheless, a very easy and simple watch. :)

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Completed
Love Andante
1 people found this review helpful
Aug 29, 2024
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 5.0
This review may contain spoilers

Quite consistent and not that bad, tbh

I did not find this show to be as bad as I thought it would be after reading some comments. I went in with zero expectations considering I have not been introduced to the cast here before and I liked the work by most, if not all of them. It's pretty straightforward and consistent story-telling. There are not many major loopholes that take away from the viewing experience. As a short-length show, I was also quite satisfied with the time skips as it gave a holistic look at their time spent at the village without overdoing it.

What I liked was how all of them had their individual identities and came together as a neighbourhood to support life and one another. It was nice comradeship, as they call it. I can't comment on the depiction of North and South as I'm not aware of the Northern dynamics, but nothing put me off as such. I also found the dialect being used by the supposed North people to be quite fascinating. It's an easy and simple watch, maybe even cute at times. Definitely hilarious in some instances - I really like Kim Ki Hyun in his role.

What I did not like was the ending. For it to be romance-forward, I expected a better reunion of the main cast. While I absolutely loved the ending for the other two couples (quite realistic and cute, especially for our Nam Kyeong-Ho), I'm disappointed in the main couple. It was such a dull goodbye and an even more dull reunion. I was looking forward to more emotions, even a kiss or two and something more happy. But well, it is what it is.

For someone who did not like the FL at all in the first 1 or 2 episodes, the show grew on me and I quite liked it. Recommended for people looking for something super easy and light to watch. :)

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