Had low expectations for this drama but was pleasantly surprised. It's my first time watching Seo Kang Joon and I was very impressed by his performance. Acting out duel roles can be very tricky and hard to execute properly, and I thought he did an excellent job to the point where I could have mistaken him for 2 separate actors. He nearly impressed me as much as Yeo Jin-Goo in The Crowned Clown (although that show still takes the cake for Top 5). I was hoping the sci-fi factor would veer a litttttle bit into fantasy by somehow giving him true chemical emotions and sensation near the end. I was craving a good cry out of Nam-Shin III or a reaction out of pain, but the emotional depth he was able to show near the end was very satisfying. I really liked the FL and Young Hoon. Their chemistry with both Shins was palpable (in platonic, romantic, and angry scenes).
It was interesting to see how the dynamic between both Shins and the FL and Young Hoon changed throughout the show.

Overall, I don't know if I'd watch this show again, but I think it's worth the watch nonetheless.

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Easily my favorite Ji Chang-Wook series (although I loved his angst (and growth) in Empress Ki and he had some fantastic scenes in Lovestruck In The City). I also *really* loved Park Min Young in this role. I had only seen her in ROMCOMs (after just coming off What's Wrong With Secretary Kim and Her Private Life) and had thought she was a bit too one-dimensional but Healer showed that she has a full palette of versatile emotions and is a wonderful actress.

This series had camaraderie, romance, action, humor, a solid plot, fabulous acting, and no wasted characters. It had 20 episodes and I found myself watching every single one without skipping through the scenes. My only qualm (and it's really not a big deal) is that the action scene choreography is a bit dated, so what was likely very cool and cutting edge then, is a littttttttle bit cheesy to watch now. I *did* end up skipping through those scenes a bit just because it took me out of the scene a little bit unnecessarily. The OST was nice and I liked the song that they played for the main leads whenever they had a romantic beat. It reminded me a little bit of an 80s Simple Minds track.

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I don't know what anyone's problem is with An Hyo-seop.

He might be new (his debut was in 2016), but I thought he was totally great in this. I never got the impression that he was "green" like other reviewers have said, and I found him totally capable of holding his own with Park Bo-yeong. Their chemistry was killer, and I LOVED their comedy together. They're a great screen match and have great chemistry. The scene where she dreams of him accidentally kissing her and she goes off on him and he turns it right back on her while everyone dances around him was *SO FUNNY*. I cried laughing. The casting was great.

I could watch An Hyo-seop watch paint dry and still drool. That man is beyond gorgeous, it's almost offensive.

Aside from our two leads, the plot was horrendous and had more holes than swiss cheese. It got better near the end, especially when the (spoiler alert) true villain was unveiled, but by then, the show was nearly done. I also got a bit tired of the convoluted rules of the orb and watching Park Bo-yeong die over and over again (it lost its emotional weight).

I'm also super annoyed with the "2 (or 3) years later" trope that seems to be huge in Kdramas. Why the giant time skips, people?! It doesn't need to be that long.

That's crazy. Anywho, looking forward to more dramas with An Hyo-seop.

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I loved everything about this movie. It's the first time I've watched Kim Jae-Wook and I had a hard time keeping my jaw shut whenever he was on screen. He is beyond gorgeous (drool) and his looks aren't just a cover for crap acting- he is a wonderful actor. The chemistry between all of our male leads was palpable, hysterical, and even touching. The random musical numbers were so fun and highlighted Ju Ji-hoon's talented physical comedy. I've always loved how funny he can be with just his body language and facial expressions. I was surprised to see Yoo Ah-In in this (and even Ju Ji-hoon, to be honest) because I watched it for Kim Jae-Wook not realizing the other big names that were cast. Overall, a great watch and definitely highly recommended.

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Quirky, cute, and more thoughtful than I expected it would be.

Jumped right into this after just having finished My Beautiful Man (which I'm still sad about finishing because it was so good Q_Q). This one starts off cute. We meet our naive virgin, Adachi Kiyoshi, who's 1 day shy of turning 30 and gains the ability to read minds when touched after he turns 30 (he becomes a wizard, hehe).

I like the quirkiness of the show, so far. He's cute, dubious, and clumsy. The editing is done well so the physical comedy after he learns of his power is well executed and not garbled or lost in editing between scene changes. The internal thoughts are cracking me up and give me second-hand embarrassment for Kurosawa (I mean, who *wants* their crush to be able to hear their cringe inner thoughts about them?! It makes me blush and get uncomfortable just thinking about some of the weird things I'd say to myself, ha).

I randomly fell off around Ep 9 after reading ahead because I was starting to get too impatient with the story progression
Side note that mattered to me but may not matter to other viewers: This series does NOT have a kiss for the MLs. Overall, I can see how this series would be very endearing for a lot of people. It's very cute, but it was just too soon after watching My Beautiful Man for me to fully appreciate it. I made too many comparisons and missed the chemistry between the leads, and the overall quality of that show. Still, I'd recommend both as solid BL shows.

*** SPOILERS***

Episode Musings Up Till Ep 9:

Ep.1: As the first episode develops and his new ability has a bit of room to breathe, I like the transition of the superficial-only thoughts we hear from Kurosawa to the more meaningful observations he's made of Adachi that Adachi is now also privy to. I can see how the more thoughtful, honest observations from others may help him in learning more about himself. The ending "EYY?!" at the end was hysterical. I really, really hope this wizard power is a myth-only for any poor soul about to turn 30, lmao.

Ep. 2: The church-like music that plays whenever Adachi sees Kurosawa's fantasies are HYSTERICAL. The gay panic, I'm DEAD. This is too funny. It's endearing how insecure Kurosawa is with Adachi. His thoughts are hopeful, sweet, and clearly inexperienced in love. The incredulous "Eyy?" at the end by Kurosawa was a cute flip from the end of Ep 1. The pacing/editing is super clean.

Ep. 3: "Well, I guess even if we'd gone to dinner, I'm not sure I would've been able to hold a conversation. I'm not the type to take chances. I should figure out my own way of facing Kurosawa." - That line resonated with me. I can relate to that type of anxiety in finding the words to say. Even with friends. I deal with that all of the time. I'm really liking the unexpected revelations with each character; Adachi doesn't always get the right first impression of people, and as we learn ourselves in our dealings with people, he's more often surprised by the sincerity he finds when he finally gets a glimpse inside.

Looking at the situation from an outsider looking in, and without the advantage of hearing thoughts; the situation seems really difficult for Kurosawa and I empathize with him. He's obviously head over heels for a colleague at work that, to this point, continues to give him confusing signals. He knows his feelings are complicated and maybe misunderstood, and he feels like he's probably imposing into Adachi's life with unreciprocated feelings. The sad gaze and hunched body language at the balcony shows a pretty clear depiction of that. He doesn't have the (dis)advantage in hearing Adachi's muddled thoughts on the situation. He just has his heart and his intuition to guide him and he's hopeful, confused, and sad. He hasn't heard a confession. He hasn't seen any signs. He's in the dark. The shift at the end for Adachi is sweet. He's terrified of his feelings and of Kurosawa's feelings. He's trying to figure it out for himself, too. It's going to take him some time.

Ep. 4: The physical comedy from Adachi continues to befuddle and amuse me. Normally, I'd probably get a bit impatient with it by now, but the quality in him is endearing. He's such a spazz. The tonal differences between this show and My Beautiful Man are pretty stark, but I'm still digging it. It's more lighthearted and funny, but not insensitive toward the bigger issue (the excitement and fear of first love, especially with a same-sex individual). A lot of the internal musings from Adachi toward Kurosawa put him on a pedestal that I don't think Kurosawa would personally agree with. In this sense, I can see a similarity with My Beautiful Man. While Kurosawa isn't idolized in the same sense, he's placed on a tier of unobtainable perfection that I don't think is the reality at all. I can see sadness behind his eyes at all times; there is more to his story and I believe as we peel back the layers Adachi sees beneath, he'll find more human qualities within Kurosawa that'll endear him.

"I feel the difference in these moments."; "I'm afraid of getting more deeply involved and disappointing him."

Ep. 5: This episode is a big leap forward in Adachi's character development as he takes a few "first steps." He finds his courage, resourcefulness, and ....jealousy. There is a shift in him. At the same time, he makes a few frustrating assumptions based on his insecurities that stagnate any forward momentum.

"I never thought I'd influence anyone else. Being acknowledged feels amazing. And it's all because of this power. But, the whole reason I'm able to move forward..is because Kurosawa fell in love with me. "

Ep. 6: Nurturing Kurosawa is probably the sweetest thing ever. Two suit jackets hung up. Beautiful imagery.
My frustration with Adachi is....building. His avoidance and nervousness are still very much at the forefront
and we're about at the halfway mark of the series with only a few breakthroughs in between.

"Adachi's "so good" belongs to me and only me." heheheh. His internal monologues are more often than not WAY less cool than his exterior image and I find that so cute.

Ep.7: The bravery it took for Kurosawa to finally confess! Ughhhhhh, come ON, Adachi. The mud he's dredged in is thick with self-doubt, inexperience, and uncertainty, and my heart breaks for Kurosawa. Thankful for the switch in POV to Kurosawa (again, not unlike My Beautiful Man in that sense) for the first half of the episode. It's a refreshing break from Adachi's muddledness. I'd been curious about what attracted him to Adachi. This entire episode was heartbreaking and eye-opening. I really liked seeing what made him fall in love and his gently sweet observations. Adachi's run is about as disheveled as his recurrent bed head, lol. Big relationship shift here - I'm all for it. This episode really propelled the story forward again.

"I feel like my heart had been touched for the first time."

"Spending time with you has yielded a lot of surprises, but before I knew it, I was smiling."

"His heart is beating so fast. Kurosawa's feelings that he can't put into words are flowing into me."

Ep. 8: I'm cringing along with Adachi and smiling like a big goof. Kurosawa is obviously just as inexperienced as Adachi but he feigns it a little better (on the outside, lol). Adjusting to office life after *that* conversation is new territory and I'm excited to see where they'll go and how they'll grow together (and within themselves) with half of the season to go. This is an atypical format from what I've been used to; usually, the BL series ends right when the couple gets together and we're left with our imaginations (excluding I Promised You The Moon and its sequel- which were masterpieces). Here, we'll get to witness how they adapt to their work/life situations and navigate a new relationship.

Adachi's friend, Tsuge, *cracks* me up. His reactions are so EXTRA. He feels so passionately about everything.

The C R I N G E, the gentle step away from Kurosawa's foot after hearing that horrendous on the fly poem, hahahahaha.
I love that he's got to begrudgingly hear all of the supppper gushy mushy internal thoughts that Kurosawa (or anyone) would NEVER say out loud for its obvious grossness, and he's got to bear through it and acknowledge how embarrassing it is without breaking face. It's a really cute byproduct of his power that makes me blush in embarrassment for him.

Ep.9: They're cute. As their comfort levels rise, it's even cuter. They've got a lot to learn about each other and how to comfortably talk with each other.

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The Good:
- Their wigs are really nice. Hairlines look great and the hair looks real.
- The chemistry between our main couple is strong. Some skinship and cuteness abound fairly early on in the series and even in her innocence, those scenes give me tingles with how sensual they can be (and by watching Sifeng react to it). Their angst is also equally explosive, and I can feel their yearning, love, and hate viscerally.
- Cheng Yi. He smiles a lot more in this than he did in the last series I watched him in (Stand By Me) and is generally more expressive in his emotions, which I love. It's a shame his smile is so often guarded because he has a gorgeous smile that totally transforms his face. I also like that he gets to act a little off-kilter sometimes, like when he's embarrassed or unsure or transfixed by Xuan Ji's close proximity - it breaks away the otherwise cool-monotone exterior he tends to display and I really like seeing that.
-Motives are clear. I understand why the good guys do what they do, and why the bad guys do what they do. It's not muddled in misunderstandings and weak writing.
-Plot twists are really good. I found my excitement renewed a few times with each twist.
-The small bits of comedy are great. I love Teng Shi, the heavenly beast. His physical comedy cracks me up. Sometimes it's a little cringe, but I'll take the good with the bad, haha.
-Whump. Whump. Whump. It's yummy. I'll never get enough of Cheng Yi in physical or emotional pain.
- The chemistry between our FL and ML is great. They look genuinely in love, and their misunderstandings and grievances are warranted and painful to watch. I really enjoyed them as a couple.
- The villains are formidable, despicable, and easy to hate.
- WHAT BLESSED BL IS THIS?! Episode 55 + Hellllooo? Lmao. We stan for it.

The Not So Good:
- Have patience with the first quarter of the series. Misunderstands are pretty rife between our first and secondary characters.
- Have patience with Zhu Xuan Ji. Her ignorance without her six senses can be very frustrating.
- The Lover's Curse mask Sigeng has to wear is h i d e o u s and covers his face for way too long. I was itching to skip past the episodes where he wore it (dying to see his face again), but for the sake of not missing any story, I trudged through it. It takes a hot minute before you get to see his face again, but for the sake of not spoiling the plot, I won't tell you when, since its important to the storyline.
-The Lover's Curse mask is supposed to have certain consequences and it seemed like there were continuity issues with it in the storyline since there were instances that should have definitely called for it to react and it didn't.
- The CGI is Power Rangers lvl bad, but honestly, I'm used to it with the xianxia-fantasy series, and I was able to look past it for the sake of a good story and great casting.
- How many packets of fake blood do these poor souls have to put in their mouths and spit out? (I'm looking at you, SiFeng). It lost its effect after a while (and that's saying a lot for a professional Whumpee like me). I also had an issue with some of the close-up shots of the actor's and actresses' faces in regard to their makeup application. I could often see the double-lid eye tape under makeup, circle lenses, foundation lines, and lipstick (like when SiFeng was especially sick and wore that ghoulish pastey lipstick).

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Am I watching a pro-China infomercial, or a spy drama?

I should have learned my lesson when I tried to watch Love Me If You Dare. This drama is even more heavy-handed in its pro-China spoon-feeding. From the moment I turned on the series, it felt like one of those cheesy, overly patriotic recruitment videos we're forced to watch in school or before a movie starts in the cinema. I almost have 2nd hand embarrassment with how over the top it is. From the ridiculous monologues about patriotism and "dying for your great Country" (while they're talking about a dead coworker) to the regrettable OST that sounds like it should be coming from a school megaphone and not a serious spy espionage drama.

Despite my reservations, I gave this series a shot because I adore the cast and just came off watching Bin Bin in Rattan (great drama!). That being said, it was admittedly hard to watch from the beginning. Our ML, Ma Shang (Bin Bin), is straight-laced, fluffy toward our FL, and adorably feisty when he's not in serious job mode. He's got a great relationship with his parents, and I adore their interactions throughout the series. An Jing, his childhood sweetheart and co-worker, shares great chemistry with him, and I liked seeing the two actors together again from Eternal Love. I also really liked Ma Shang and He Zi Xuan's chemistry. That's...pretty much where I stop caring about the series.

I was already skipping through by the 4th episode and pretty much skipped around until I got to Ma Shang and An Jing's scenes. Even then, it really couldn't be saved.

In reality, China *can't* do espionage/crime/serial killer/murder type genres. Their Government censorship rules completely water down everything to a laughable extent and puts their winning team on unrealistic pedestals. You mean to tell me that their national security teams are perfect? Zero infighting? Zero corruption? Perfect and seamless camaraderie and technology from start to finish? The criminals are never a match for them, right? They're always sloppy, one-dimensional villains who tend to speak in English when they're being diabolical, or they're terrible D-list Western actors playing evil caricatures of themselves, and they always just lay down and give up when they're caught. Give me a break.

If you want gritty, more realistic dramas within those genres, I recommend Western TV shows or Kdramas. I just finished watching Through The Darkness with Kim Nam Gil, and it was *amazing*. It's a novel adaptation and has a lot of similarities to the Western drama, MindHunter, about profiling serial killers in custody while trying to catch an ongoing case. Both shows are miles better than this. If you want a corporate espionage-type thriller, I recommend Killing Eve (has a bit of dark comedy as well), The Americans, or The Night Manager.

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I really really wanted to like this show.

I was initially pretty invested because I just came off watching Namjoong Min in The Veil and thought he had a powerhouse performance. He transformed everything about himself: his voice, his physique, his expressions, and even his gait. I was mesmerized by his charismatic performance and yearned for more of his work since he easily carried The Veil on his gorgeous shoulders.

This series began pretty promisingly. I really liked the introduction of his character, Na Ji Ye, and his unwavering empathy toward those less fortunate. I was especially drawn to his character because, while he had the brains and the heart to care for his patients, he also had the balls to step up to those trying to use him as a pawn. He didn't flinch at adversity and I admired that about him. The issues began around the 7th or 8th episode when Sun Min Shik had much more prominent screen time.

I've had an issue with Kim Byung Chul in the past when I saw his character in Goblin. His character, Park Joong Hun, when he'd been found out in the later episodes as a bad spirit, was ultra campy in both appearance and behavior. I assumed it was due to poor writing (which came as a surprise, because I *loved* Goblin up until those last few episodes), but he struck me again as ultra campy in Dr. Prisoner. His cheesy behavior kept bringing up images of those villains in old-school cartoons twiddling their mustaches while the tied-up damsel cries for help. His body language was over the top and his conniving plans were always barely hidden in his facial expressions which really gave me Soap Opera vibes.

Speaking of soap operas, the OST was also a huge issue for me. One minute it swells with tension and over-the-top strings, the next I'm being beaten over the head with cacophonous drums and symbols crashing. I personally felt like it hindered the scenes because I'd catch myself drawn out of the scene and going, "WTF is up with this music." It also had the unfortunate ability to change an otherwise tense and well-performed scene into a comedy.

I was also running into issues with Na Ji Ye by episode 9. I didn't like that everything he did was somehow 10 steps ahead of everyone else. Like he's magically got enough foresight and street smarts through his comfortable IVY-league education to outsmart and outwit everyone, all the time. Even scenes of distress were fabricated for some type of gain. I wanted to see him more conflicted. More angst. More human. Less "I'm sad, but really I'm not because I knew this would happen way before you did and already formulated and perfected my counterattack before you had your morning breakfast."

I might come back to it again later, but for a 32-episode series where I found myself skipping through episodes before even hitting episode 10, it doesn't seem very promising. On the other hand, I'm reading reports that another season has been greenlit, and for a KDRAMA to have a season renewal, that's pretty rare, so maybe I'm totally wrong about the whole thing.

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I'll be honest. I found this series through a Tumblr whump rabbit hole because I thought the main lead (as pictured on the post) was gorgeous and wanted to see more of him (who doesn't love a pretty angst-ridden face?)

As I began watching it, I was 110% drawn to the 2nd male lead instead, Zhao Wo Huan (played by Wang Yan Yang). As some people have mentioned, he gave me STRONG Xiao Zhan in The Untamed vibes. He's a skilled fighter, charismatic, playful but cunning, wears a lot of flattering dark clothes, and even physically looks a bit like him (albeit a bit more masculine). The 1st lead in this, Jian, is not as attractive in both physicality and charisma. He plays a very straight-laced do-gooder Detective and doesn't have very many layers to unpack. He is as he comes (so far). I like the more dynamic, more fun scenes when Wo Huan is involved.

As far as the plot- I'm only 5 episodes in so I can't say much. I will say I have a personal bias against closed-door whodunits and that's what it's felt like up until this episode when they finally ventured outside of the villa so we'll see how it goes.

Ep. 18 Update
I like the character development of both of our leads.
Seeing Jian lose his calm demeanor and get so shaken by Shi Qi leaving was a nice change from his normal stoic and rigid personality. Zhao has also grown immensely.

Ep. 24 Update
Overall, I enjoyed this drama for several reasons.
- The bromance and the 2nd lead overall, were fascinating and fun scenes to watch. I loved watching their bond grow and persevere through the different trials they went through. I also really loved that they both grew as people through their friendship.
-The OST is really nice. I love that it's mixed between the traditional Chinese flute you'd typically hear and more modern music, like Beethoven. The main song that came on whenever a scene played between our 2 romances is really pretty.
-The twist at the end. Very cool. Even though I didn't like the whodunit format this show followed more often than not, the twist at the end made me intrigued toward the next season.
-Have I mentioned how much I love the 2nd ML? Guhh.

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A short, cold glass of lemonade in the summer heat.

The Good:
- Choo Young Woo (Han Ji Yul). His character was imperfect, but he looked and felt like a tall glass of water in every scene. He's got the physique and presence of the main lead to the point it's so glaringly obvious amongst all of the townsfolk. He really does look like a Seoulite, so the casting choice for him was well done. I also enjoy his acting; he's apt for physical comedy, and I often laughed at his facial expressions and awkward body contortions. I hope he gets a more serious role next time. He looks like he'd do well in a police thriller or a more mature melodrama. I can see him getting a lot of success, especially at his young age.

-The setting. The town is believable, quaint, picturesque, and so realistically presented within this story-book-like cinematography that I could feel the heat and the sun just by watching our characters uncomfortable squirm on their bikes or while picking peaches under the country sun.

-Episode/series length. It was just long enough. I wouldn't have enjoyed hour-long episodes or a full 16-episode storyline.

-Chemistry between Han Ji Yul and Yun Hyeong, and Ji Yul with her cop colleagues

-The animals! Han Ji Yul is a veterinarian and is not just used as a plot device! He's actually working throughout the series and handling large animals. I liked that, and it gave the story more heart. It felt believable, and I enjoyed how the animals were often intertwined in the story.

The Not So Good:
-Unoriginal, cliche-laden storyline. Don't go into it expecting the drama to reinvent the wheel. I didn't, and I enjoyed it for what it was (although I skipped the 2FL and 2ML storylines entirely). I'd just come off a few heavy horror/thriller dramas, so this was my calm respite.

-Joy is not a good actress. The positive reviews are laden with Red Velvet fans, and that's fine, but let's not pretend she can act. I lost count of how many times I rolled my eyes at the fake cutesy laughs. I understand it may have been how her character was written, but it was often overly forced and unnatural. She had fine moments, but even broken clocks are right twice a day.

-Out of 12 episodes, they're only dating for 2, so it took way too long. I liked them dating. They were cute.

*I had a hard time rating this drama because it offers nothing new or very memorable on paper, but I enjoyed it. I often laughed or smiled (and even shed a tear or two), and I'm looking forward to more projects with the ML.

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Korean BL game is stepping up STRONG.

Ever since watching Where Your Eyes Linger and To My Star, I've been excited about new Korean BL content. The production quality, the chemistry- it's all fire and just gets better with each one I've seen (I'm not looking at Kissable Lips).

I've not seen/read the web series for Semantic Error, so I'm stepping in with fresh eyes and making my own observations. I think the chemistry between both leads is l i t e r a l l y palpable. Like, laser-sharp. Gives me body tingles when they touch each other or get near each other. They do not suffer the curse of the wooden Korean BL actor, in fact, it's very obvious how comfortable the actors are in their roles, especially in watching the BTS of the series and of them together during their press tour. They're so cute together.

Park Seo Ham has one of the sexiest voices I've ever heard. That slight rasp is intoxicating as is his height above literally everyone else on the show (he looked actually GIANT in the bar scene against the Quickyst jerk the way he leered down at him - it also made it so much funnier). I love the storyline and the conflict that arises between them. The argument scenes are believable and even there, the chemistry is overwhelming. Once Jae Young‬ realizes what he wants, he doesn't back down and doesn't wilt. I love that. There's no questioning his feelings and he's blunt about it without fear of homophobic backlash (I also spotted that gay pride flag in his studio!). There is no running away for him and he isn't afraid to hit the root of the issue to force Sangwoo to be honest with himself. It's so refreshing and electrifying to watch. I loved this series! They've set a high bar for anything else coming out this year.

"Don't avoid it. Don't ignore it. Just try and feel it."

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