I would love to say that I loved it. Unfortunately I can't. It was rather boring and it dragged terribly, it felt as if the director and/or editor completely missed the cue so in many cases, the scenes just went past the moment when you felt like someone should've yelled cut. Some pairings were cute or at least interesting despite the boring writing but it simply wasn't enough. Even the last story focused on Lay Talay's character simply wasn't good per se.

And to top it off, there were so many cringe-worthy moments, like when one of the pairing ended up calling each other "Papi" & "Daddy" *shudders* Yeah, I'm really not into the whole "Daddy" kink, yikes! Or when in two of the pairings one half had to literally ask their partner for permission to meet up with friends for drinks. That was so yikes!

The most interesting and original moments for me happened in the last story with Lay Talay about Masuk who, after the death of his lover, Tir, fell in love with Hia but Tir still hung around as a ghost - all the time, literally. I mean, in similar stories, the ghost usually leaves after finding peace but Tir remained with them so it felt more like a threesome because, well, like I said, he stayed with them. all. the. time. Even while they were being intimate. That was quite... well, kinky.

This drama also allowed me to find two newbie actors whose career I'll definitely follow: Chap Suppacheep who played Tue in the first story and then First Piyangkul who played the promiscuous Kaeng. These two caught my eye the most out of the new ensemble.

Still, eh.

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A sweet little story made special by the amazing chemistry between the lead actors. Shou Yi & Shi De’s story is, well, it’s nothing original, really. But thanks to the actors, it feels like something more, they honestly elevate the whole thing.

And then there are the things like Shi De’s mother who’s absolutely amazing. The fact that Shou Yi is half-Japanese and they cast a half-Japanese actor so the blend between his Chinese and Japanese is seamless, when he switches between the languages (mainly when he’s startled or emotional), it doesn’t feel forced. Then there’s the intrigue with Shou Yi’s father, introduced in the last episode as an appetizer for what’s to come in S2. And Shi De’s cousin and his emotional issues - and his lost love...

There’s a lot that works for this drama, considering it’s just 6 barely 30 min. episodes. It’s definitely worth it.

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What a wonderful series this has been! 21 (+ ep 0) short episodes full of fluff, sweetness, music and food. Sometimes I wondered if there was even a script, if the actors weren’t simply told the bare minimum and then allowed to improvise because it really felt unscripted, spontaneous, their stories common-days, things that could happen every day to any one of us.

And the amazing chemistry between Jeff Satur (Win) and Gameplay Garnpaphon (Tops) brought the whole thing to life. Because this was not their first series together, AFAIK, there was no awkwardness of getting to know each other as acting colleagues first, they were close and it showed on-screen in the intimacy between the characters, in the small touches and little smiles. And I can’t wait to see them acting together again, in KinnPorsche The Series this time. They’re a marvel on-screen and I fell in love with them.

Also, this was the first series that I’ve seen that acknowledged the existence of Covid-19 and stressed out the importance of washing your hands etc. Kudos.

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This was probably the most twisty-turvy drama I’ve ever seen. Just when I thought I had it figured out, it turned out I was completely wrong. And I had to pay very close attention to what was going on on-screen to not miss any clues.

There’s some really nice whump in this drama and the found family trope is positively glorious! Dong Baek’s, the main hero’s, team loves him like their son/older brother and they don’t doubt him for one second, not even when it looks really bad. They trust him with their lives. And Han Sun Mi, the main heroine! At first you don’t get why she’s the way she is, so seemingly cold, but as the story progresses you get why and you get her. And you realize just how much she cares!

Also, surprisingly to some, this drama has no romance. None. What the characters share is a genuine friendship and that’s all. So, if you’re looking for something sweet and romantic, this one is not for you. If you want a dark and twisty thriller about telepaths, then this one is for you for sure!

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My main draw in this show was Zhang Mingen, of course, so for me, the drama was at its best when it was about Guo Deyou & Ding Mao fighting side by side, them against the world.

Which is why I liked the first half best. When the Preacher then arrived and Guo Deyou & Ding Mao were split, each following his own storyline and with a heavy focus on Guo Deyou - who was the lead, so no wonder - I admit I started to lose interest a bit. Still, Ding Mao’s endless trust in Guo Deyou, even when everyone else turned against him, that was a thing to behold, really. And the ending, the last moments of the final ep, made me very emotional.

Guo Deyou, Ding Mao, Gu Ying & Xiao Lanlan, their friendship, the way they went through thick and thin together, the way they supported each other and had each other’s back, that neither Ding Mao, nor Xiao Lanlan, both born into wealth, were ashamed of their working class friends, that they all as a group respected each other’s… well, idiosyncrasies… that gave me much feels.

Also, I wish I could get my hands on the OST. The instrumental tracks, so very similar to Sherlock Holmes’ - both Ritchie’s and Moffat’s - they just hit the right spot for me. Alas, it’s not available anywhere. Pah, humbug!

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I loved this drama. It started a bit silly, true, but to watch Qi Ling go from a goofy backwater bartender to a lord - a mage - with powers beyond imagination was a thing to behold and Zhang Mingen played that part amazingly well, he was such a great Qi Ling, both the goofy one at the beginning and the stoic, powerful one at the end. And Joe Cheng, who played his lord, Yin Chen, was so good too, his stoic demeanor, his soft, velvety voice…

I also loved that all the girls that Qi Ling met got their own arcs, their own stories to tell and went through their own development. They grew, they suffered, they stayed true to their duties and obligations and their own paths…

What I did skip was the plotting of Lei Ya and You Ming. At least at first. But by the end, even their stories became interesting and especially You Ming, Shen Yin’s lord, turned out to be more intriguing than I thought at first. He was a true evil neutral, he didn’t care who won as long as he got to slaughter people - but he did care about Shen Yin, as much as he was able to feel anything selfless and real for anyone.

What fascinated me about this series was that there was no romance in it. Yes, Qi Ling felt something for Shen Yin and she for him, but their timing was never right and their feelings never got in the way of what needed to be done - and what was most important to all the disciples: their lords.

Because that’s what this drama is about, the relationship between the lords and their disciples, that undying, selfless devotion which permeated everything the main characters did. They did it all for their lords. They lived and died for their lords.

My main draw were Qi Ling and Yin Chen, of course. Their story was beautiful and though sad at the end, it still ended on a hopeful note and that’s all I need at the end of the day, really. And with that ending, if we don’t get a second season, it’ll be a sacrilege because they literally set it up for a continuation.

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A cute romance about a Heroine who falls for a Demon. Or, a chaotic but sweet and kind nurse who falls for a tsundere doctor with a heart of gold. It was interesting to see these characters grow, her maturing as both a woman and a nurse and him finally opening up after having lost the woman he loved many years before.

I get that Nanase's chaotic personality might be too much for some people - my mother included - but I liked that about her, that despite being clumsy and making a fool of herself on a regular basis, she just kept going, she never gave up, determined to become better, to learn and grow - and she does. She proves that even if you aren't gifted, a natural born genius, perseverance goes a long way, that you simply need to pick yourself up and do it again and again until you learn.

Another thing that I loved was that when Tendo agreed to become Nanase's boyfriend, he was all in. He didn't treat her any differently, he just loved her and supported her and helped her achieve her goals.

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Word of Honor has been, hands down, my most wonderful, most satisfying drama experience so far - and I have watched quite a few dramas in the past years. It had great writing, great actors, humor and sadness at just the right ratio and...

Hugs. So many hugs. And hand-holding. And longing glances full of immeasurable love. And sacrifices. And mainly - an unquestionably happy ending for the main couple, a sight unseen in danmei.

But seriously, I didn't skip a single scene in this drama. I was actually interested in all the storylines, even the search for the Glazed Armor, I wanted to know what was behind it and the twist with the treasure, the twist with the key (!!!), the whole reveal didn't leave me hanging.

What truly elevated this drama from a good one to a great, top-notch, let-me-wiggle-in-my-chair-with-the-happy drama, though, were the leads. Gong Jun and Zhang Zhehan truly embodied the characters and their chemistry was mind-blowing. They added so much to the characters of Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu, respectively, they made them feel alive, like real people with their ups and downs who sometimes made bad decisions but who didn't let their failures keep them under. GJ and ZZH were so right for the parts and they clicked in such a rare, genuine way that it simply made me feel all warm around the heart.

This drama experienced so many issues before airing - from losing the original leads to big budget cuts, it was laughed at and scoffed at and nobody would've bet a penny that it would be a hit - and yet, it's become a must-see event and Youku truly treated it like the golden goose it turned out to be. Good so. Everyone involved worked on it with heart and they deserve the recognition, twice over!

To sum it up: this drama simply makes me happy, it makes me smile and it occupies my mind and I can't stop thinking of the amazing love story that we've seen unfold on-screen. What a rare gift!

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Oh, this was wonderful. Like a cup of hot cocoa on a cold day, it gave me warm fuzzies. Both the pairings were really cute but Kurosawa and Adachi simply stole my heart - so much so that I bought the manga, available via Kindle from Amazon!

I loved that there weren’t any bad guys in this drama, that it was a romantic slice of life story just, well, just with a smidgen of magic. Gosh, the way Kurosawa loved Adachi! Everyone deserves a Kurosawa of their own, honestly. And it was in no small measure thanks to Machida Keita who played Kurosawa, he gave the character so much loveliness and warmth. And Akaso Eiji lent Adachi such a cute awkwardness! His and Machida Keita’s chemistry was so... *chef’s kiss*

Also, I think that the reveal of Adachi’s powers truly demonstrated the difference in the portrayal of the self in Eastern vs. Western culture. You can bet that if this was an American show, Kurosawa would’ve been more concerned with his privacy, his thoughts, his own self, he would’ve felt furious and betrayed and he would’ve stormed out in a huff. Here, though, Kurosawa was more concerned with with Adachi’s well-being, Adachi’s happiness, Adachi’s self. Kurosawa was secondary in this equation to Adachi. And that was very lovely because I can’t help but feel that the Western focus on the “I” first and foremost and always has gotten quite, well, narcissistic lately.

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This was, hands down, one of the best dramas that I've seen this year, at the very least. The music and sound mixing was fabulous, the cinematography incredible, the characters so lovable and engaging that when the end finally came, I didn't want to leave their world. It made me very, very happy!

I loved all the twists and turns of the story, the supernatural side of it, but mainly, I loved the relationship among and between the various characters, their friendship and their closeness - and their romance! And not just between the secondary characters but between the main two, Yi Kang & Hyun Jo, too.

Theirs was one of the most wonderful romances that I've ever seen. It was very mature and without a single "I love you" or a single kiss, and yet the feelings that they had for each other ran through the whole drama like a red thread, manifested in the lengths they were willing to go for each other. It was absolutely amazing!

I also loved the ending, it was everything I wished for - and more! It was really, truly, honestly perfect! Down to the tiniest hint of Goo Young possibly finding a new love in Hyun Jo's little sister! The way he ran from her was hilarious!

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This is, hands down, my favorite Korean BL drama. The OST is great, the cinematography excellent (it’s really art in motion), the plot so intriguing... and even though the story of Yeonwoo and Yoohan doesn’t really delve deep into the world building of this “universe”, you get the sense of how different it is with the Monos and the Probes living side by side with the rest of the normal population and experiencing things that simple humans cannot beginning to grasp.

Yeonwoo and Yoohan, their story and their dialogues, the way the actors portrayed them, I really felt their fascination with each other, that they simply couldn’t stay away from each other. And I was glad about the ending, that the drama did not take the MODC route but gave them a HEA, even though it felt like it was just the beginning of their journey, of the exploration of what they could be together, what a Mono and a Probe can be together if their yearning for one another is mutual, not one-sided and forced.

(Also, the whump was amazing!)

Basically, it was wonderful and I loved it and I need more!

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Like I said before, it’s hard for me to judge this show because I only watched the Phunnoh storyline and skipped everything else. But from what I understand, this drama was pretty much what paved the way for all the other Thai BL series. So, definitely thumbs up for that.

Phun and Noh are just sweet. Phun is so in love with Noh that it’s ridiculous and Noh reminds me of a cat locked up in a room full of rocking chairs: there’s much hissing and clawing before he finally gives in. Both of the characters have such distinct 3D personalities and even their relationships with their girlfriends before they get officially together are really unique and interesting.

What I loved best about Phun and Noh is that they actually talked to each other. As in, they actually, honest to God communicated and discussed their problems and issues with each other. They never let anything fester for eps on end. That was so startling and unusual and very much appreciated.

So, from my POV? Phunnoh: both thumbs up. Everything else: skip.

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Well, that was very... Japanese. And as much as I looked forward to this movie - I own the manga in its entirety and I watched and loved the anime - I simply didn't like it. Why?

For one, the music was very jarring. Terribly loud, electronic, very... 2001: A Space Odyssey like with the whole droning thing etc. After a while, it made my eye twitch. I really hated it.

Also, I felt like I was actually watching a theater performance. It was mostly filmed in a studio, among very obvious set pieces - the shop didn't even look like a real place - and the performances themselves were so overwrought, especially by the villains. It felt very "even the viewers in the last row need to see I'm batcrap insane, watch me cackle." Yeah.

The only saving grace? Watanuki and Doumeki. This kind of a relationship was what I wanted from the manga and the anime and the movie actually delivered. So brownie points for that.

But... yeah. This? Not my cuppa. Maybe someone who is really into artsy stuff will love it but not me.

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Oh, this was wonderful. Short and sweet and, well, wonderful. A tale of two best friends since childhood who fall in love. And pretty much nothing changes. It's a tale about how amazing it is when your partner is also your best friend.

I loved all the pairings in this drama, the main one, Sakura & Yuma, but also the het pairings, their classmates' and the teachers'! Gosh, I loved the teachers, they were just the right amount of quirky without feeling like clowns. And it was so touching how much affection they had for their students - and vice versa! The students poked fun at them, sure, but they honestly liked and admired their teachers.

My main draw, of course, were Sakura and Yuma, their relationship, their personalities, how perfectly they clicked, how well they knew each other, how easily they slipped into being a couple. I think my favorite moment was Yuma's "I will always cherish you" campfire confession. That was just... perfect.

Overall, short and sweet and funny, perfect for curing blue moods.

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Finally a BL drama that didn't make me feel like I was ingesting empty calories while watching it. Because that's the overwhelming feeling I've had lately, that all BL dramas as of late were empty and without any substance, all stuffings and no real core.

But after finishing this one, I honestly didn't feel like I wasted my time, I felt like I watched actual art. The cinematography, the music and its timing, the performances... everything simply clicked.

That said, it doesn't mean I found the characters actually likable. Not at all. Not at first, at least. It took me a while to get them - and to get into them. But that was good so! It meant that they were flawed and human, multilayered and multifaceted.

The story was mostly told from Hira's POV but when we were finally allowed to see all that happened from Kiyoi's side too... wow. It was the perfect example of an "unreliable narrator" storytelling. Or, when you get to see everything from just one person's POV, much gets lost. Wonderful!

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