Reviews

This is definitely the oldest drama I've ever watched but I must say I felt right at home watching it. From the beginning to the end, I just loved the characters and their interactions. I think viewers of a certain age would appreciate this more than others. As I watched, it solidified my fandom with Kimura Takuya, what an actor. Imagine my surprise to see this was Yamaguchi Tomoko's last role. I loved her character's perkiness and willingness to bounce back after her break up. The supporting characters also brought so much to the drama. And thankfully totally devoid of the usual drama cliques!! I loved that the most about this drama!! Again, it's not for everyone. Not one cell phone in the story!! It was great!

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Definitely my no. 1 top bl so far; a supernatural teenage romance underrated masterpiece

(Apologies in advance for my grammatical errors, English is not my native language)

This series is a hidden gem—a supernatural teenage romance with hints of slice-of-life that unexpectedly gave me butterflies. Despite its melancholic tone, I found comfort and beauty in it. This drama is deeply underrated and deserves far more recognition. While it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, it’s much more than just a sad or tragic story within the BL or supernatural genre.

Story:
The series gently explores the stages of grief, and many reviews have praised how delicately this theme is handled, a sentiment I wholeheartedly agree with. Supernatural stories aren’t always universally appreciated, but this one portrays its fantasy elements in such a grounded, realistic way that it feels incredibly natural. It strikes a perfect balance between the real and the unreal, which is where its charm truly lies.

But what I want to highlight the most is the ideal relationship between Koichi and Micchan. As an introvert, I really appreciate that they told a story about a healthy relationship between an introvert and an extrovert. I admired Koichi for understanding and seeing the beauty in Micchan's silence. I appreciated that he didn’t rush things, from being friends to becoming lovers. Introverts need personal space, and I love how Koichi respected that. He never pushed Micchan, instead patiently waiting for him to become comfortable. Even though it was love at first sight for Koichi, he allowed Micchan to fall for him little by little—a form of courtship or unrequited loved rather that’s rarely seen these days. Besides his patience, Koichi became Micchan's protector and safe space. His love was so big and selfless that he always put Micchan's needs before his own.

While many already recognize how ideal Koichi is—his gentleness, patience, and protectiveness are green flags for anyone—Micchan deserves more credit than he receives. He may seem emotionless on the outside, but he’s compassionate inside. The novel shows even more of how much he loves Koichi, even after many years have passed. His eternal love—choosing Koichi every day—is a true testament to their love. Also, the emotional energy Koichi received from him in order his body to function proves Micchan’s deep love for Koichi. Moreover, watching someone you love slowly disappear was incredibly difficult for Micchan. These are all signs that Micchan loves Koichi just as much as Koichi loves him.

Their relationship gave me everything I could ask for—a gentle love that makes you feel safe, someone proud to have you, someone who sees something special in you that others don’t, a love that you didn’t expect to be reciprocated out of pure genuine intent. It’s a kind of love that’s irreplaceable, one that makes you feel like you’re always the first choice , a love that continues to choose you every day. It’s just heartbreaking that this relationship was taken away too soon.

Acting/Characters:
Komiya and Inoue did an incredible job portraying these characters. Their chemistry is exceptional, and they never failed to deliver everything we could want. Their comfort with each other, the soft and gentle intimacy, and the subtle nuances they portrayed were delightful. Even during intimate scenes, nothing felt over-sexualized. I also appreciated the focus on the main couple. Their chemistry, facial expressions, and line delivery felt perfect. Everything seemed so natural to me—there wasn’t a single moment that felt awkward or cringe-worthy.

Setting/Cinematography:
I loved the Japanese countryside vibe during summer. The breathtaking backgrounds and landscape scenes were beautiful and relaxing. Although the weather differs from the novel, as a pluviophile, I appreciated the switch to rain. It was lovely to see rain play a significant role in every chapter of their story—from their first meeting, the beginning of their relationship, Koichi's accident, and lastly, his farewell. It felt like the rain mirrored their emotional journey, like falling in love as they did.

Music:
This is the best OST I’ve heard so far. The opening and ending songs perfectly define their story, and I can’t help but get emotional every time I listen to them. The musical score used throughout the drama also fit beautifully.

Rewatch Value:
It may sound strange, but I would give the rewatch value a 10 out of 10. I have a deep appreciation for melancholic stories, and even though this one is sad, I find comfort in it each time I watch it.

Overall:
Despite its sad ending, the story concluded in the most beautiful way possible. The narration at the end was the most painfully beautiful one I’ve ever seen. This is probably the best BL I’ve watched so far. It gave me the poetry, gentleness, subtlety, and bittersweetness that I seek in dramas. It also gave me valuable life lessons. I’ll be forever grateful that I discovered this drama. It left me emotionally wrecked for weeks, but I don’t regret witnessing this beautiful masterpiece.

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Strong Start, Weak Finish

Contrary to the popular opinion here, I really appreciated the extensive backstories of the characters. It effectively provided justifications for why the participants would engage in such an insane project, which is quite rare for the typical Death Game film (usually, the participants are lazily thrown into their circumstances due to some metaphysical element within the story or deus ex machina reasoning). I also enjoyed the softer social commentaries in the beginning of the film and the fairly realistic and reasonable depictions of the main characters. That is, none of the characters are overly virtuous or exceptionally talented, and they all act or respond appropriately to the situation at hand; I can see these characters in my day-to-day life. Finally, the cinematography and acting (of the main characters) were masterfully executed.

Where the series started to go seriously wrong was in the final few episodes when the filmmakers decided to use caricatures for their characters as if they were holding a contest to use as many tropes as possible to fit the bill of the caricature in question; at some point, I was not sure whether the series abruptly became a satire. Not only were these caricatures agonizing to watch, but the decisive shift in narrative presentation really killed the immersive experience evoked by the previous episodes. Additionally, the moral justifications for why the mastermind started the entire project were banal, forced, and unconvincing; the creativity of the "midnight bet," from which he grounds his perspective, is what you would expect from a #SocialExperiment YouTube video, not a Netflix produced K-drama.

All in all, for someone who does not enjoy the typical Death game flick, I found the series very entertaining and well made within the category, but beyond this, it is forgettable. Although the cast, cinematography and music scores were appropriate and exceptional, there was, unfortunately, nothing noteworthy about the screenplay and directing.

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A mature, no-nonsense love story, where the leads are real adults.

I had avoided this show for a while, because from the posters and synopsis I felt it would be a cheesy rom-com involving three guys and a woman wanting a baby. I was not interested to see a love square with 3 guys and a girl, even if it boasted the casting of Jang Nara, no thank you.

Yet, I was curious nevertheless and decided to just give two episodes a try (you'all know how this usually ends)

You will love Oh My Baby, if you can relate to any of the following elements in a show:-

1. Adults (leads, second leads) actually having proper conversations. They talk things out, having meaningful conversations.

2. If you love FL with a no-nonsense approach but not crass and rude, bravely taking a lead in love but pulling back too, feeling hurt but recovering, a FL that does not resort to whining, screaming or shouting, not being pitiful even in a worst scenario.

3. If you had bad trauma from the mother in Something in the Rain, then Oh My Baby will restore faith in good mothers. She is similar to, but much better than the cool mom in Witch's Romance. This mom gets angry yes, but tells her daughter immediately that she should not lose her sense of self or feel guilty just because her mom is being angry with her. She stands by her daughter through all decisions, even those involving public ridicule. She doesn't care two hoots about societal response and family comments. This is a mom that does mountaineering and dancing, while also constantly looking for a match for her daughter. This is a mom that made friends with ML even even before she knew of her daughters interest in him and vice versa. Not just acquaintances in friendly terms, I mean real buddies.
I usually skip mom scenes in kdramas, and if you are like me, don't skip this mom's dialogues. She is sassy and open minded, and her scenes are worth listening to. This is a mom to end all kdrama moms.

4. There are no jealous female second leads, (but jealous male lead yes ) not everyone around the male lead is pining for his love, and they are all actually shipping them together, yes even the gals. No one bitchy and manipulative. Second male lead gets angsty a bit but that doesn't last more than a couple of episodes. He never stood a chance, it was clear from the beginning.

5. A romance that is gentle, but cracking with chemistry all the same.

6. Its not fluffy, silly rom-com but at the same time retains elements of fun throughout. The topics they deal with are emotional but handled with directness and spirit.

7. This is even better than Search WWW in terms of female portrayal because this is more realistic and honest. The women are not out-of-the-world sassy and bold, but rather as much real as anyone in that society would be. The only unreal element is that the FL is too pretty to be actually someone who never had proper romance for her age, but they also show why this is so,. its convincing.

If you liked Because this is my First Life, then you will definitely love this. I guarantee. Come back and trash me here if I am wrong.

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I loved this drama to bits, but not for the reasons I was meant to.
Imagine you are sold a book with the cover of a travel guide and on reading discover that in fact it contains a romantic novel. You are captivated by the story and read it to the end, but you'll have to go out again to buy that travel book you didn't get in the first place.
That's exactly what happens when you start watching Scent of a Woman. You prepare yourself for a romantic comedy and find out that there isn't even a hint of comedy. The scenes which are meant to elicit a laugh range from painfully embarrassing to bitter-sweet.

But I loved it nonetheless. If the definition existed, I'd call this drama an "urgent passion". Urgency is the undercurrent of the whole show, to the point as a viewer I found myself praying for more time along the main female character. And passion for life is the glue that keeps all plot lines together.
The actors are amazing. All of them. I can safely say this is the best acted drama I've seen in a while. If you want to feel true empathy, cry, smile, grit your teeth or fall in love, watch this. The chemistry between the leads is tangible, and it grows so subtly and gradually it becomes a natural process in their story. I understood why they loved each other and not because the writer wanted me to, but because they were so incredibly believable.
The same applies to all the secondary characters. You'll grow to love them or hate them, they are not bi-dimensional people. They stay consistent to their nature and when/if they change they do so without pomp or unbelievable u-turns.
And I love that the message of this show is not a simple "live your life to the fullest". There's so much more. As I see it, the main theme of Scent of a Woman is: we are not alone here; everything we do, and the way we do it, effects the lives of those around us in a huge domino effect.
Message subtly told and beautifully executed.

Photography and attention to details are spotless.
I didn't really care for the music, but this is just me. It was chosen with sense and I appreciated the fact that it was in line with the show: elegant. I'm glad they didn't go for any lalala pop song, which would have ruined the mood.

Without spoiling the end of it, I need to say the last episode was simply perfect and beautiful, one of the reasons why I'm giving the drama a full 10.
Therefore, I'm going out now to buy that travel guide book I wanted, but I'll keep this beautiful love story bought by mistake on my shelf, for future re-reading/watching.

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'Cause I saw the end, before we'd began.

Zhousheng Chen pledged his life to protect the realm with an unbreakable vow to never marry or father children. Cui Shiyi, a peerless beauty 倾国倾城 (qing guo qing cheng) was promised to the Crown Prince from birth. He is her shifu, her master; thus any romantic relationship between them is forbidden. This kind of story never ends well - Zhousheng Chen knew it, Shiyi knew it and I knew it. Yet I fell helplessly down the rabbit hole with them and almost drowned myself with tears. I did not expect to be so moved or so heartbroken 'cause I saw the end, before we'd began. So be warned, this moving, legendary love story between the noble Nanchen wang and Shiyi is sad and unforgettable.

This drama's production values are incredible from the movie aspect ratio, stunning sets, gorgeous costumes drenched in a soft palette that accentuates the beauty and ethos of the unspoken, unspeakable emotions that encompasses every loaded moment. The haunting and poignant OSTs are the only times their feelings and promises are verbalized. The lyrics are layered with meaning that compliments the beautiful prose of Mo Bao Fei Bao's popular novel 一生一世美人骨., that is woven seamlessly into the script.

I love how Mo Bao Fei Bao writes - her composition style is simple and profound at the same time and yet I am unable to finish the novel. It is set in the present, with Shiyi flashing back to their past. I simply can't relate to a docile modern woman with such ancient values, whose whole reason for existence is one man. The drama adaptation that starts with the past makes for far better storytelling as Shiyi is a product of her time, a Northern Wei noblewoman raised to dutifully abide by all the social strictures and expectations of the day. Underlying her gentle, serene expression, she is incredibly single minded ("my heart already belongs to someone, it will not change") and the imperceptible flashes of fury in her magnificent eyes says she is far from docile. Bai Lu interprets Shiyi brilliantly and brings her gentle strength and courage to life in a way that vastly exceeds the novel. 

As for Ren Jialun, he is truly one of those rare actors who says it best when he says nothing at all. He never has to tell Shiyi how he feels about her, it it is evident in all the small gestures and most of all, it is in his eyes, in the sublimely romantic way he eyes her ever so longingly... and so regretfully. It emanates from the core of his being and breaks free from all of the constraints imposed by duty, responsibility and his toxic oath. With this mature, charismatic and substantive performance, Ren Jialun sheds his more youthful persona and proves his ability to compel in more complex roles that require some heft and gravitas. That said, I wish Zhousheng Chen wasn't quite so restrained; that they had given us at least one moment of temptation, where for once if only briefly, he forgets he is Nanchen wang so that they can be just Chen and Shiyi. If I remember correctly it is hinted heavily that there was one such moment in the novel. Nonetheless the palpable chemistry between the leads convinces that while not in deed, they are lovers in every other sense and meaning of the word. This captivating and shattering performance by both leads underpinned by their remarkable chemistry makes this slow burn, tragic romance a must watch.

Even though the drama adaptation attempts to better flesh out the past, the story's focus remains predominantly on the romance and that is where it shines. The external political plot is designed almost solely to either frustrate or facilitate the romance and thus does not bear close scrutiny. It is clear that political plots are not the screenwriter/novelist's forte although she does a credible job pulling together perhaps too many common tropes - rival clans, power struggles, Wu Tzetian-lite (brainless) and thwarted love rival wrapped up in filicide, murder and betrayal. Although all of the supporting roles including the villains are very well acted, there are many side characters who do not advance the plot and the inter-relationships and rivalries among the main clans and the consequent political dynamics are not well explained. And then there are characters like Yang Shao who conveniently pops up as alternately friend or foe as and when required by the plot. His motives and loyalties are not obvious and for such a poorly developed character, he gets to do some pretty important stuff.  Neither villain is that complex and they both seize power without the means to secure the border and thus the empire without Nanchen wang. They are not intelligent or worthy opponents - even when they win, it is by foul means that lead to self destruction. Nonetheless, I watched this with a forgiving eye, mostly because I was too busy emptying my tear ducts to have the emotional energy to be bothered by the logic flaws.

This drama really enraged me at the end. The lovers' fates are well telegraphed from the get go so that is not my issue. My problem is with how Zhousheng Chen the character was mutilated by the writers at the end. The core of what makes Zhousheng Chen noble down to his beautiful bones is the conviction that his sacrifice, their sacrifice is worthy. And it is manifestly not worthy - he makes the same mistake twice of shoring up a ruler who simply cannot hold on to the throne and is bound to be a puppet. What it comes down to is he chose to save his bloodline and a bunch of worthless, doomed ministers at the cost of peace at the border, his beloved Nanchen army and Shiyi; leaving the country defenseless and in the hands of a sociopath. Even though the writers acknowledge they did him dirty when Shiyi piteously comes to the same damning conclusion and it just breaks her, how they wrote themselves into this corner is unforgiveable. It could have been avoided if the external plot were better configured to begin with and if they had the courage to change some aspects of the novel rather than simply writing to back-solve for certain outcomes. In doing so, they made an incredibly compelling case for Zhousheng Chen to just kiss the girl, revolt and seize power or to ride off with her in the sunset and defect to Nanxiao. He would still stay more true to character because that is what would have achieved the greater good instead of simply protecting his brother's legacy at all cost. Thus with regret that oozes from every pore, Zhousheng Chen foolishly forsakes both the common people and his Shiyi for the king and country that forsook him. There is no level on which this is a satisfying outcome and Zhousheng Chen deserves better than that.

Since I am ranting, I would add that I am not in the least consoled by the fact their unfulfilled love even moves the universe to give them another shot in the modern sequel Forever and Ever. First of all, this takes thousands of years. Secondly, if I were Shiyi, I would run, run, run, run, run AWAY from Zhousheng Chen after what he did. And finally, to get my much needed closure, I am really irritated at having to try to watch a darned modern romance, a genre I normally avoid like covid.

I still rate this a 9.0 largely due to mesmerizing performances by both Bail Lu and Ren Jialun, in their rendition of this love story that captured my heart and soul in a stunning depiction of 色授魂与 (se shou hun yu). I don't need to elaborate on what that means, it is there in every glance, every word, every interaction.


Postscript:
For those of you who need closure, there is a very well fan made alternate ending ending produced by industry professionals. I have fan subbed it and hidden it as a spoiler in the comment section of this review.

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A unique but strange watch.

The whole storyline is quite odd, but it works so well. There is pretty much a different mystery every episode so it doesn't get boring. I honestly think I loved every character. The first episode is very strange and had me wondering if I should continue it, but I feel if you enjoy the oddness of it, you will enjoy all of the storyline.

It truly is something I haven't seen yet in a kdrama. The effects are very high quality and well done, truly amazing to see and can't imagine the work that was put in. The effects are very cutesy at some points looking like little pets or candies, and at other points quite scary fitting the ghost/horror vibe. The story is very cute and humorous with some darker tones. It has so many aspects that I enjoy in a show.

It has only 6 episodes so I found myself thinking "there doesn't seem to be enough time to finish the story well enough" but it wrapped up nicely. I do wish it was longer but I feel satisfied with how the story progressed. However I also feel there could be more added on eventually in a new season if they wanted.

At some points a noticed a few plot holes or points that were missing and I was left thinking "wait what happened?" but I eventually figured it out. I do think rewatching it will give me some clarity on parts I may have just missed. All in all didn't have many issues and kept me focused, I didn't skip every 10 seconds like I do with some dramas.

The main leads were lovely, seeing Nam Joo-hyuk in this he seemed way older than other dramas I've seen of his. He fit the teacher role surprisingly well. Jung Yu-mi was very charismatic and she fit the odd-strange school nurse so well. At some points I cringed over how odd the character behaved but it just shows how well she acted because it's exactly what was intended.

Finally to close this off, I do think it's worth watching, the story has many different elements and can make you laugh or cry. I even found myself crying and that's rare for me! The strangeness was so new and fun to see. It's a cute watch that it is truly unique and honestly a breath of fresh air that I felt I needed from dramas.

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Noona lovin' perfection. Yes, indeed.

I made jokes about this one in the comments when I first read the synopsis. I was expecting to be force-fed some BS attraction between a young guy and a woman 14yrs older than him. After the first episode, I felt like I was dead on with my expectations, but kept watching since it was entertaining enough. It didn't take long for me to see that I was actually dead wrong.

This show was so well-executed that even the cliche parts came off as normal occurrence. You feel like this story is somehow familiar, like you know some people who have experienced the same regardless of how far-fetched that would be. What I love most is each hurdle is a real growing experience. Not just an "Oh, I messed up and apologized, now forgive immediately." There's depth in each situation.

The chemistry between all the characters is spectacular. Yes, I said all. Each person fits into their role snugly and works so well with anyone else that's on-screen with them. Enemies, friends, lovers, family... you'd think you were made privy to the lives of actual people, it all feels so natural.

Best part: Uhm Jung Hwa's acting. None of that typical stuff actresses do to mimic falling in love. She brings those real reactions that women usually can't prevent from doing and endearing qualities of an enamored woman to her character. All of this while still maintaining a strong no-nonsense personality. She portrayed a woman that can be an axe-grinder, and cutely fall in love without compromising her strength. She also is able to grow to learn from her lessons and change only what needs changing.

For me, this is the second best drama I've ever watched and I'm a harsh critic. I'd highly recommend it.

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This drama was awesome. I watched a scene accidentally in Instagram and inmediately got interested about this drama. --The acting skills of the cast are good.
--All the characters are likeable:
I always have a problem with the lead female character of any kdrama. I find them very annoying or clumsy or
childish -That's why I stopped watching "The Healer". Here, the female is perfect. On the other hand, I've always loved the cliche personality of the the lead male character - very cold and unsmiling. In "kill it", the protagonist plays this role on another level.
Note: You can definitely feel the chemistry between characters. That's better that kissing and hugging scenes.
The other characters are sweet and funny, but they don't lose the drama's tone.

--Fast development of the story: Unlike other people, I found the story very fluent. Everthing was revealed at the right point of the story, and the fact it was only 12 episodes long makes it easy to watch.

The OST: I haven't listened to a good OST since "The K2". It's excellent. It's the first time I like all the songs. Even though my native language is Spanish, I am trying to learn the lyrics. Then, if you don't want to watch "Kill it" because you have read negative reviews about it, at least listen to the OST. You won't regret it.

SUBTLE SPOILER:
--Right ending: The ending suits the story. Even though, it is not what we hope, it is what we expect.
Note: For our hopes, there is an extra scene that makes us feel satisfied and to some extend pleased with the drama.
My wish: I would love to watch another season even though I know it will be irrational to fix the ending. However, I won't be mad if they do it.

ADVICE:
If you are so used to romantic comedy. Then, I would recommend not to watch it, but please listen to the OST.

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Move over Hana Yori Dango or Hana Kimi. This is definitely the best Jdrama I have seen till date. This is what I call a must-see. Even people who generally don't like Japanese dramas should watch this because they don't know what a marvelous show they are missing out on. I am so thrilled that I watched it because these kinds of shows nowadays are rare.

While the story of the show is nothing out of the ordinary, it turned out to be a lot different from what I expected. I thought it would turn out to be predictable and cliche from start to end, but it left me pleasantly surprised at a lot of places. There were certain twists that I had thought would happen but they were pretty different from what I was anticipating. Also, the ending was also contrary to what was expected. It was not at all obvious. I would have liked to make a lot of changes to it, but the current one makes great sense.

While the characters weren't extraordinary, their traits were very relatable. I only found Nobuka's character to be having very unbelievable and fictional traits. I don't know why there is a trend of certain dark and depressed females in Japanese dramas. These depressed females all have the same of look of the ghost from Ring movie. But I suppose it adds to the fun part. But really, I have neither seen nor heard about people like her so I can't say if it was based on fact or entirely imaginary.

I didn't like Shuji that much for the majority of the show because there seemed to be no character development at all till the last three episodes or so. Even Nobuka's character hardly grew. That was very unsatisfactory. Also, the most ridiculous thing was that while almost all situations were being dealt practically, why couldn't just Nobuka just go to a therapist to cure her mental issues? That part was very absurd. In spite of these shortcomings, Maki Horikita played the role excellently. She was very cute the way she kept nodding in a typical way. And the way she kept walking with her head hung low was very cute. The funniest scenes were the 'Nobuta Power Enter' ones. I can still laugh at that because it was done so well. Maki really proved to be a versatile actress and she has anyway done a lot of great shows.

The second guy, Akira was probably my favorite in it. I was so taken in by his character and loved him entirely till episode 6 or 7 because he seemed to be developing in the best way. Also, the actor Yamapi (who plays Akira) was simply brilliant throughout. During the last few episodes, the character of Akira stopped growing and became a victim of bad writing and inconsistency, hence reducing his charm. But it had nothing to do with the acting. Still, I cared more about him than other characters on the show.

And I was so impressed by Erika Toda. She's stunning and acts really well. I can't wait to watch her in Liar Game! I was so happy to find out she is the lead star of that show! I was worried during this show's progress that she would turn out to be the antagonist and thankfully that didn't happen, so I was happy in that aspect. She played a sweet girl and came off as very likable. Shuji was an idiot for not falling for her.

And I have to mention the character of the vice principle. Her character was pure genius. All the best scenes and dialogues went in her basket. She is the perfect kind of teacher that students can have. I would love to meet such a person in real life. It really was one of the best characters of the show with the best characterization, hands down.

Apart from all this, the sub plots were all excellent. Most of all this show portrays friendship very beautifully. Also subjects like teen depression, bullying and peer pressure are raised splendidly. Most of all, they provide with lessons to be learnt in the end. And the fact that life has to move on in spite of everything, and one should treasure the best memories of youth seem to be the core messages of the show. And of course, it tells us to live life fully and appreciate the life we have and the people we have around us.

The writing deteriorated in the last two episodes but it didn't go beyond a certain level of unreasonable. Plus, nobody overacted in this drama so I am thankful for that. It gets dragged a but but it is well within the limit of bearable. And for the rewatch value- it was enjoyable the first time so I am sure it can be watched again (even if I won't).

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Wow! Just wow! I watch A LOT of films and the more you see the more you realize how difficult it is for filmmakers to create something that sticks out from the crowd.

This, my friends, stuck out from the crowd. This is the type of movie I like to watch and someday hope to make. This film was absolutely amazing from start to finish! A true art film, slightly similar in tone and mood to one of the best art house films of all time, In The Mood for Love.

I did not know what to expect going in. I was half-terrified that this was going to be some gut - wrenching tragedy that will haunt me for days, but it wasn't. Not in the least. Instead it was one of the most beautiful renditions of love I've ever seen materialize on film in a very long time.

The leads do not speak a word of dialogue, but it was neither missed nor needed. Everything that's important was beautifully communicated with a meaningful glance or a tender act. The chemistry between the leads was undeniable. I never grew tired of being in their world, in fact I wanted to get lost in it.

More than anything, though, I loved the message that I interpreted from it.

A lot can be said about life and how we get through our own personal struggles. The audience might not be entirely sure what is real or imagined, but at the end of the day it doesn't matter. What matters is that as human beings we need these moments of reprieve, real or imagined, to get through life. They add meaning to our existence and give us the strength to carry on in the face of adversary. I just love it.

I also loved the ending - bittersweet, but not in a sad, haunting sort of way. In a very positive, hopeful, uplifting sort of way. It's been a couple of days since I saw the film and it still brings a smile to my face just remembering it.

I can't praise it enough. Everything about it was just perfectly rendered: the atmosphere, the setting, the acting, the score! I've been listening to the lovely, evocative music of Natasha Atlas ever since I saw this film. Kim Ki-duk, by this effort alone, has not only cemented himself as a director to watch for me, but also one that is likely to influence my own work as a filmmaker. This was a perfect 10. I'm sure I'll be re-watching for this for years to come.

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"The Miracle of Teddy Bear"
A cute fantasy meets mystery meets drama wrapped in a BL with a sense of realism.

Ironic right? How a fantasy can have a degree of realism. I just have one thing to say, you need to watch for you to understand. * wink*

First of all, I would like to put it out here that this is a real lakorn. An hour and a half per episode. with 16 episodes! Slow-paced focusing in each character's emotion and facial expressoin. That's already a day if you have plans to binge watch this. But don't get turn off by that, for someone who has a short attention span like me, the very first episode doesn't feel that it is that long. But I have to admit, there is twice while I was watching it that I have to check how many minutes left in the episode. You know what? It is just too good to drop in the middle and pick it up on a different day. The very first episode is where you get the settings, the characters, and a feel where the story already with depth. This kind of approach is kinda rare for a Thai BL as it slowly builds up either the character or the story. This one, it is already served in one plate. Expect the succeeding episodes, the drama side weighs more than the sweeet, tender, cute moment as the myrtery, or mysteries, builds up more.

If you have the chance to watch the OG "Love of Siam", the same formula was used here. BL story endtangled with a family drama. This as a lakorn, a lot of family drama that is somehow seamlessly integrated with the BL side. And just you thought that everything starts and ends with the family drama, corporate greed is also on a head-on collision against the family and the BL story is smacked in the middle.

But WAIT! Just when you think that everything is going well, a splash of reality will be a rude awakening. This is very rare for BL-themed series as almost all are detached from reality. Don't get me wrong about that, it is good to have a feel good series to watch, but this series also shows how Thailand gone far when it comes to the LGBTQIA+ community being shunned, to telorated, and now accepted.



In the preview, it was shown that the Teddy Bear becomes a human, no spoiler about that, or what is written inthe synopsis. Right of the bat your question will be "WHY?". Before getting the answer to that, you will be entangled with a mystery upon another mystery. The first one is Nut's past, and the next is his mother. Being a blood-related, it is not hard to assume that it is all one the same, but could it be that they are independent and shared a part not intertwined?

The next next of mystery is that of Tofu's face and what is the history of the owner with the main lead. How is this connected to the "WHY?" of the miracle? Also, why Tofu's personality resemble someone in Nut's past, the protective, caring one. Or is it something more than resemblance?

If you are keen enough, you will notice that when a person suffers from emotion-pyschological trauma, it induces: anger, mental breakdown that needs medical attention, and revenge by pulling others down. Those 3 results are manifested each of the characters here.

A BL like no other when it comes into complexities of a story, or should I say stories that seemingly independent at first but later you will realize that those are indeed inter-dependent. Started with one family, then branches out to the next, and the third. Three family unit, well you can make it four if you are going to bring in Nut's friend however it is just for a support to one of the families involved, the drama between the three will be heart of the story. Smack right in the middle is Peeranut or Nut.

And this is riddled with mental health issues.

FOR THE ACTING, Tofu the actor behind is In Pintar. His character is pretty simple and straightforward, like a child getting to know the bigger world. Naive, innocent and these two attributes was well delivered by In.

The more complex character is Nut, played by JobThuchapon, he has layers upon layers that you need to peel as the series progress. Do not take his entire character if you just watch several of his scenes. He is more than those. And his temper plus other issue, try to walk in his shoes and if it hurts then you know what Peeranut is going through.

Na, mother of Nut, which role is given to Um Apasiri is the perfect mother image. If you will discount her role in "Bad Benius" becuase that is turn around to what you are used to watching her.

If you are watching BL for so long a common face is Song, played by Tee Thanapon that played Beam in the very first 2 Moon. And I must say, his acting had improve in so manly levels and areas.

To be honest, I know nothing about First Parada so I do not have is character Gen to compare with. However, the character is a great support for Gen that spank the lead into reality when needed.

Also as supports are the more adult actors like Jome that appeared in "Happy Birthday", "Lovely Writer" & recently "Something in My Room" & Kradum as Type's father in "TharnType", definitely proven in the industry you can be assured that they will play their respective roles wonderfully.

THE SONG, is perhaps like any other songs in a BL series. It is flexible enough for you to feel pain if the scene is heartbreaking, and giddy if the moment is sweet, cute and fluffy.

This series will surprise you on how good this is from production to acting to story. Unfortunately this is aired in Channel 3 which is a mainstream media of Thailand and on Netflix, if your account is geo-locked in Asia or South East Asia.

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Unparalleled

In my 17 years of indulging in Asian dramas, I've had the privilege of encountering a multitude of captivating stories, characters, and narratives. However, I must say, the drama I've recently stumbled upon has left an indelible mark on me and has already etched its place among the finest pieces of Asian drama that I've ever had the pleasure of watching.

What sets this drama apart is its remarkable ability to ensnare your emotions and weave a tale so compelling that you find yourself becoming genuinely attached to every single character. This is no ordinary feat, and it's a testament not only to the spectacular writing but also to the deft direction that brings this world to life. The way the palette transitions from soft hues during peaceful times to somber greys during the throes of war is nothing short of artistry. The portrayal of the real war scenes is so vivid and evocative that it transports you right into the heart of the chaos.

The mastery with which the war's tension and thrill are handled reminds me of the standards set by productions like "Kingdom" and "Train to Busan." The sword fighting sequences, choreographed with breathtaking precision, stand tall as some of the best I've witnessed in all my years of watching Asian dramas.

But the true brilliance of this drama doesn't stop at its direction or action; it extends to the acting prowess of its cast. Namkoong Min, a name synonymous with exceptional acting, delivers a performance that transcends mere entertainment. His portrayal captures every microexpression, every subtle thoughtfulness, and a range of emotions from endearment to caution, from a burning desire for revenge to moments of jealousy. It's a masterclass in the art of emotive storytelling.

And then there's the female lead who defies expectations and stereotypes with grace and intelligence. The 99-tailed fox who emerges as an unexpected hero, shattering preconceived notions. She evolves far beyond the anticipated role and emerges as an emblem of strength and depth, reminiscent of iconic characters like Scarlet O'Hara from "Gone with the Wind," yet imbued with a uniqueness that makes her SO MUCH more.

This drama is not something to be missed, and it certainly defies any preconceived notions of what a "mere drama" entails. It's a culmination of meticulously crafted, movie-worthy episodes that seamlessly blend to create an unforgettable narrative tapestry. The way it engages the audience, drawing them into a world so rich and multifaceted, speaks volumes about its caliber. It's a gem that shines brilliantly among the vast sea of Asian dramas, an experience that lingers long after the final scene.

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