Reviews

Awaken – A Mind-Bending Mystery Drama You Can’t Miss

"Awaken" is an unforgettable K-drama that grips you from the first scene and keeps you hooked until the very end. Namkoong Min shines as superintendent Do Jung-woo, a quirky yet brilliant detective and a leader of one of the National Police Agency's special task forces with a haunting past. His charismatic performance effortlessly balances humor, intensity, and vulnerability, making Jung-woo one of the most intriguing leads in recent dramas. 🌟 Seolhyun as Gong Hye-won adds a fiery, determined energy, and Lee Chung-ah’s FBI detective Jamie Leighton is the perfect mix of intelligence and mystery. Together, their dynamics create an engaging and layered story that leaves you guessing. "Awaken" delves deeply into the complexities of relationships, especially those between parents and children, exploring how trust, expectations, and buried secrets can shape and strain bonds. It subtly questions how far one would go to protect or uncover the truth, showcasing the fragility and strength of familial ties without painting anyone as purely good or evil. The drama masterfully weaves these themes into its thrilling narrative, adding layers of emotional depth to the suspense.

The plot is packed with suspense, unraveling a chilling series of murders tied to a shadowy organization and hidden truths about the characters’ pasts. 🔍 It’s not just a crime drama—it’s a deep dive into themes like morality and the cost of justice, with every episode leaving you wanting more. The writing is sharp, with twists that genuinely surprise you, and the pacing keeps you on edge without feeling rushed.

The OST is another standout element of "Awaken." 🎶 Songs like Ha Dong Qn’s "Set Me Free" beautifully capture the drama’s emotional and thrilling tones. The music heightens the suspense and adds depth to the moments of reflection and action, making it a perfect companion to the story.

With stunning cinematography, intricate storytelling, and outstanding performances, "Awaken" is a masterpiece for fans of mystery and thrillers. It’s a drama that doesn’t just entertain but keeps you thinking long after it ends. If you’re ready for a ride full of twists, emotions, and unforgettable characters, this is the one for you! 👏

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I'm finding myself in the minority on this one but I pushed myself to get through 13 episodes and found I just could not do it anymore.

Things I like:
The costuming and casting
The premise and overall plot kine (I bet I would probably enjoy the book)
The CGI and sets are amazing
The soundtrack is phenomenal

Things I hate:
The slapstick comedy they use by making characters be dumb: Aunt and Uncle, Princess, etc
The main is too perfect; he solves cases so fast, his martial arts progresses too quickly, he is the best at literally everything
The lack of world building and the way they 'explain' Dafeng and the magic system too quickly and incoherently

I thought this show would be one of my favorites after watching the trailer and the first couple of episodes but the type of comedy used in this show sank it for me. Slap stick comedy or comedy done by making characters stupid just is not my cup of tea. It makes it feel forced down my throat and I end up gagging on it. If they had toned down their reach for comedy and focused on the plot movement then this would have been ten times better. The story itself is very interesting but the way it is shown is a miss for me. Xu Qi An is too perfect and progresses too quickly in a way that I feel cheapens him a bit. This a highly intelligent and compassionate character that does not want glory but instead cares for the people so he can't be bribed or swayed from his morals. But they make everything come easy to him instead of allowing him the chance to work for his successes especially when it comes to skills.

Overall if you enjoy that kind of comedy then I think you would really like this but if you find that it detracts for you then I would skip this one.

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A story about assuming sexuality and stopping hiding

A weekend, four people, a boy who knows what he wants, a girl with a broken heart, an effeminate cousin, and a boy who must assume his own sexuality and stop hiding.
The series, from the production company Sanny Istudyo TV, introduces us to budding vlogger and podcaster Winston (Matthew Francisco), who finds a way to boost his channel by helping his friend Heart (Ramona Vega) find love. In this way, he will devise an extreme plan to find his friend a boy.
When he was a child, Winston's mother abandoned him and he never fully got over it. His violent father took revenge on the boy, locking him in the closet at home. Winston has grown up with trauma.
Heart, which has the ability to choose the wrong man, after her last boyfriend dumped her, posts a vlog about what happened and it goes viral on the internet.
The vlog is visited by Jaime (Allison Asistio), a singer-songwriter who recovers from heartbreak by writing a song about it. By commenting on Heart's video, Jaime learns of Winston's existence, and automatically falls in love with him.
Winston will help Heart pick up the pieces by putting her in contact with the winner of his virtual contest, who is none other than Jaime, who has decided to participate in Winston's plan to get closer to him. In the same way that Jaime chose Winston as the person he loved, Winston chose Jaime.
However, the plan to spend a weekend at a rented house in Tagaytay owned by Jordan (Gio Emprese), Winston's cousin, where Jaime and Heart are supposed to fall in love, becomes more complicated as Winston's feelings develop and falls in love with Jaime's free spirit.
'Win Jaime's Heart' features a screenplay written by Ajravii RGE AHJ, winner of the Palanca Award. The series is pioneering as it is directed by filmmaker Zyril Nica Bundoc, the first woman to direct a BL series in the Philippine scene, known for her role in 'What a Night! ' (2019) and 'Tambay' ('Stand-By') (2020).
The first impression I have of the series is that I am watching one of those reality shows in which a group of people with very attractive profiles go on vacation to a heavenly place, like the many programs based on the American international hit format "Temptation Island". But with the difference that in this case, whoever emerges victorious, instead of a cash prize, takes home the heart of the person chosen by him.
In 'Win Jaime's Heart' there are two winners: Jaime who manages to win Winston's love, and Winston who finally manages to accept homosexuality and stops hiding, allowing himself to feel good about himself and in his relationship with others from that moment on.
Winston, who has lived his entire life keeping an important part of his life hidden, which has been the cause of internal conflicts, low self-esteem and negative emotions, such as fear or sadness, has finally been able to accept homosexuality naturally and chooses "come out of the closet", revealing their orientation without major problems.

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The guy’s got some serious talent, I tell ya!

Hey there, folks! I just finished binge-watching "Guardians of the Dafeng," and let me tell ya, it’s an absolute gem, eh? From the get-go, I was hooked! The storyline is a wild ride full of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat, eh?

Dylan Wang, oh man, he really stole the show! His performance as Xu Qian was top-notch, eh? You could feel every emotion he portrayed—whether he was fighting off baddies or having those heartfelt moments. The guy’s got some serious talent, I tell ya!

The visuals? Stunning! The cinematography is like a postcard from a beautiful Canadian landscape, but with a fantasy twist, eh? The action scenes were choreographed so well that I found myself cheering for the characters like I was at a hockey game, eh?

And can we talk about the supporting cast? They brought so much energy and humor to the show, making it feel like a big family gathering, eh? The chemistry between the characters was palpable, and it made the emotional moments hit even harder.

Honestly, I can’t recommend "Guardians of the Dafeng" enough! It’s got everything you want in a drama: action, romance, and a sprinkle of comedy. I’d give it a solid 10/10, no question about it, eh? So grab your popcorn and settle in for a fantastic ride!

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You need to watch it if you havent. Weak hero class 1 is my personal favorite kdrama of all time, I keep rewatching. Park jihoon was the perfect fit for the role of Sieun. Sien in such a complex and facinating character, and the plot as a whole is so interesting. This drama is action filled and really keeps you on the edge of your seat. It really takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions; this shit had me crying, laughing, and the ending of season 1 really makes you angry, in the sense that you just want more. Crazy cliffhanger. I am so excited for season 2, although I was really hoping Suho was going to be in it.

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One of the best GL's I've watched?

Ever since the announcement, I've been waiting to watch Pluto SO BAD, and once I did, I LOVED IT! This is the second show I've watched and cried during a wedding scene; the last time I did was when Klaine (Blaine + Kurt) from Glee got married. Because the story started from the word "Pluto" so I would always feel super emotional especially the last part when either of them mentioned it🥹.

The story was amazing; it was really interesting, ngl it felt quite similar to JimmySea's Last Twilight to me, but I still liked it. Everything was pretty great except for one thing, which was what happened to the dad at the last ep? The change was SUPER sudden that it felt weird, and it also didn't make sense. Even if he had a change of heart, the change was too big. Despite that, I would still recommend ya'll to watch it cuz it's worth a watch, trust.

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A cute caste and a wholesome story, makes for a pleasant watch

3 episodes in, I'm quite liking it...the performances are good, the energy feels right...and as with most Taiwanese BLs, the caste is so damn easy on the eyes :D

BL-needle score: 8 - reasonably high BL-ness

Final year Art graduate student Yu Xing, is forced by his mentor to go look for inspiration away from the city and on his recommendation, ends up getting a temporary art teacher job for a month in a rural hamlet by the sea, where he is supposed to find his inspiration....he meets Xu Lu Hui there, a smiling-all-the-time high schooler, who aspires to pursue painting, and is also his student at the school...Lu Hui is the younger brother of Xu Lu Xi who runs a homestay where Yu Xing will stay for his time at the hamlet...

The story then follows the cute entanglements of Lu Hui with Yu Xing, and that of Lu Xi with a new ( and hot) neighbour Ye Bing, who has come back to the hamlet to open a cafe in the memory of his wife who passed away due to terminal illness...

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It is okay

Cooking Crush is another OffGun series and these two will always serve the chemistry because this is just really nice and sweet. The story follows a medical student who wanted to learn how to cook from someone he just met because it resembled the taste of the food that he liked when he was younger and when his mother was still alive. Little did he know is that this kid that he met is a culinary student who is the grandson of the owner of the restaurant that he loves. This is when things will get a bit more interesting as they try to navigate their feelings toward each other and learn that they are actually more than what they expected to be. They are actually in love. I think what we can say is that this follows the very standard rules of creating BL stories as it is very focused on giving us a romantic couple and sweet moments in between but what made me so invested with this story is the execution of the show. They did not try to make it overly complicated but instead made the characters pretty interesting by making them really focus on their ideologies. We got to see a really good shift with Ten’s character when he fell in love. You can see him clearly smitten with Prem and what is so good about this chemistry is that they are consistent. Again, they did not try to overly complicate the story and the main obstacle for the relationship is Ten’s dad and I understand why. The chemistry of Gun’s Prem and Off’s Ten is really good. I will be a sucker for a strong relationship and the fact that we got to slowly feel for these characters is interesting enough for me. They are in love with each other and they are showing us that by really working well with each other. It is a pretty good progression and it worked so well. It is like watching these two really play well alongside each other that everything felt effortless which is so simple to watch that I just really wanted to root for them and I think that is such a nice thing to have. They are a professional love team by now and it worked. The secondary couple as well is good. It had a more dramatic setup with Fire and Dynamite but they are okay. To be honest, I was more invested with Samsi and Metha. I am seriously rooting for these two together because their banter is so natural and was really funny if you will ask me. They have so much chemistry too but they were more a comedic partner here than anything else as Samsi ended up with Pang, Prem’s sister. I am a bit disappointed with that but who cares. I still think that the show delivered what it needed and the episode titles being different Thai dishes is just so smart to have. I really enjoyed how their culture was really highlighted with the food that they were making while presenting such a sweet love story. It is a good show.

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Loved the OST

I initially watched the show because I was just bored and Leo was in it; I never thought Rosy was also in it. I watched Love like the galaxy first and I loved them there. I thought their chemistry there was superb. Seeing them with different partners this time still had me gushing. Their chemistry with each of their partners were excellent. I absolutely love Hao Du’s character development and his love for the princess. I love how they had few scenes but had me waiting to see them every time. I hear they just recently had a new series which they are the main leads I am going to watch that as well. Hopefully it has a great plot.

The thing I am bummed about is the ending for the main leads. I felt lacking, i dont know i expected more since theyre the main leads.

I also absolutely love the opening song!!!! I usually always skip intros but this time around i always let it play just to hear the song 😂

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Dylan Wang's Performance

The show is a compelling addition to the fantasy drama genre, delivering a rollercoaster of emotions across its 40 episodes.Dylan's acting and accent fit Xu Qian perfectly, making him a standout in the series.The comedy can come off as a little too exaggerated for some viewers, making it a love-it-or-hate-it kind of show.While the drama isn't bad, certain character decisions were hard to watch.the series offers a unique blend of fantasy elements, time travel, and historical context.Dylan Wang's portrayal of his character, Xu Qian. bring's depth and charm to the role.

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An acting masterclass, well-deserving of being 2024's top drama

The drama follows Zhang Guimei through the trials and tribulations of building and running a free girls high school in a poor mountainous county.

The best way to describe this drama is that its realistically unrealistic. Some of the things that happen in this drama, you'd find yourself in awe and disbelief. The things that Guimei achieves before and after the school is nothing short of miraculous. But this story is based on a real person with these very real achievements, and I find that it makes the story even more captivating. ZGM is not a perfect human being, she's incredibly stubborn and sometimes bad-tempered, she would sometimes make very similar mistakes twice. But despite this, you can tell how much she cares, for her students, her school and her teachers.

I wouldn't claim that this show is perfect. I wasn't a huge fan of the time skip when Gu Yu went missing, I feel like they could have explored the time immediately after she disappeared a bit more. At times the pacing went overwhelming as we couldn't sit with any victories before another issue pops up.

Despite the flaws, I still do believe its one of the best dramas of the year. I found myself crying in joy at points and sadness at others. There was a good balance of drama and humour, and all the characters were well-written and well-acted. Song Jia did an incredible job playing Zhang Guimei and had one of my favourite drama performances of all time. The teachers and students were all played incredibly well, especially Lan Xiya (playing Gu Yu) with all her heavy scenes.

Disclaimer to all the (fellow) foreign fans watching, Zhang Guimei (the real person) has heavy ties to the CCP and this is naturally reflected in the show itself. Apart from one episode (episode 9), I found it well incorporated without breaking the flow of the story. I don't think it should stop anyone from watching the show but it'll be better going in knowing about it.

I highly recommend this show to everyone! This show has a bit of everything, it's heartwarming and inspirational, there's a good balance of comedy to break the heaviness, and all the actresses and actors do a spectacular job throughout

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A bold, unpredictable makjang drama with complex characters and unique flair.

I know rating it a 10 is crazy (perhaps fitting after all) - but this review is a big hear me out. While I watched Elegant Empire as my first daily drama and would rate it a 9 at most (objectively), I have multiple reasons to rate this so high. I prefer to not set my expectations too high for daily dramas despite them being addictive, but I was sort of actually blown away. The cast and characters can easily evelate a drama to an objective 10 in my eyes, along with the production quality. I loved that this was such a unique family melodrama at heart, and I certainly did not expect such epic classical soundtracks which matched the tragic and dramatic tone. For example, Happy Sugar Life is one of my favorite animes, and the only OST that I found to be close is from The Escape of the Seven (Boku no Tenshi / ボクの天使 on Spotify is my favorite track from HSL). I love the organ the most in it, and of course how modernized the music is. I have always been loving theater plays too. Theater plays can feel very absurd, insane, unreal, mind-blowing, out-of-this-world, you name it, so I'm not too surprised by my taste in dramas. For me, most international soap operas do not even come close to the Koreans. Plus, they never end so I don't bother. Another example, https://youtu.be/3iOPFd65A_I - This is just a preview of the most unhinged play my favorite Korean actor did lol.

The Two Sisters, aka. "In Cold Blood" (previous English title) or "Without Blood or Tears" (Korean title), was an unpredictable and fascinating drama that hooked me from its epic opening in episode 1. The narration was well thought-out, and the story began with a deep misunderstanding that led to Bae Do Eun’s mental breakdown before spiraling into total mayhem. Around episodes 30 to 40, a noticeable shift—possibly due to the change of writer—added even more unpredictability, making it unlike anything I’ve seen before. Whether this was the new writer’s idea or not, it worked to keep things interesting and engaging throughout the 104 episodes. In fact, there was no character that looked typically good, past some point. I always thought that the actress of Lee Hye Won had the perfect antihero face in this role, and it seems that the writers agreed. Actually, her vindicative nature was already foreshadowed in Episode 1, which is also a consequence of her past and how she grew up. Her true colors were then revealed through her later interactions with Bae Do Eun.

https://mydramalist.com/photos/RBZorz_3 / https://mydramalist.com/photos/Z83YRL_3 - I was also very much drawn to these two posters aside from the main. And the trailer (without actual content) but I already linked it below.

I was initially drawn to the tragedy of the sisters’ story, their complex characters, and the impressive cast. While some viewers criticized their acting or struggled to connect with the sisters, I disagreed. I loved both Bae Do Eun and Lee Hye Won, whose character defied the typical archetypes, as shown in this clip: https://youtu.be/bVGzwOkaiak. Their performances were layered and compelling, and the drama’s creative filming techniques and self-aware dark humor elevated it further. The outfits and styling also stood out, adding flair to the drama's overall appeal.

While I'm at it, I might as well share the teasers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ep5sQy77qHY / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wepfvHgNTuM / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e41qZ3OR4as.

"According to a recent study, brothers and sisters can be genetically much closer to each other than their parents." (makjang science btw) followed by the tragic news of sibling murders, "Either exactly the same... Or completely different. Which one were we? She and I had different appearances and personalities. But we did everything together", followed by the rest. The narration at the beginning lingered in my mind and I had to rewatch it more than once during the drama.

The drama embraced its makjang tendencies, and I found it consistently interesting and entertaining, no matter how crazy or toxic things got. It offered the level of intensity I was looking for, especially after being let down by "A Man in a Veil." Though the drama has a surprisingly large number of songs on Spotify, it’s frustrating that some of the best tracks, which were crucial to the drama’s emotional impact, remain unreleased—something I’ve also noticed with other daily dramas like Gold Mask.

There was criticism on the sisters for not changing, but this is integral to their character arc and the tragedy of the story. Meanwhile, I was always secretly rooting for the sisters' happy ending and Bae Do Eun's redemption, because their story always made me sad. It was actually painful that their relationship went from love to hatred. Bae Do Eun completely lost her mind, while Lee Hye Won was not turning good either. They were both selfish but you gotta look back at what happened, and somehow both are understandable. Because their personality was like that, it seemed to be a doomed relationship. I also love tragic endings, but I'm not gonna spoil it for you. I always perceive the ending as the writers' choice, but what I would dislike is a happy ending to not disgust the audience into watching another daily drama. Of course, there would be no way for me to know. "Happy" also could be too simple of a term. However, I don't think that a happy ending for them would necessarily be what the viewers wanted. Thanks to that, you can believe that no matter what the ending is, no influence comes into play.

Overall, The Two Sisters was a bold and unique story that stayed fresh and creative despite its melodramatic and serious nature. I could tell the cast and crew had fun, and I certainly did too. It’s a shame the drama didn’t get more love from viewers, but for me, it delivered exactly what I wanted: complexity, creativity, and a gripping story full of twists.

P.S: Please writers and directors, make "The Two Brothers" next time. And cast Jeon Sung Woo... But I can only wish. 😭 I know he would take it tho if he was offered an interesting role. The daily, weekend, prime-time main leads are always separate. 😔

Side note:

I was disheartened by the change of writer because I was so passionate about this drama and loved what the writer was doing. The story in itself, and the characters, were already very unique.

To back up my argument, this was the planning intention of the drama:

"- On the Irony of Fate and Its Cruel Twist
Two sisters, separated by their parents' divorce and living as complete strangers, meet again more than twenty years later as the women of two men—one a father, the other a son.
Through the tangled web of their ill-fated relationships, this story aims to explore the irony of fate and showcase the human will to overcome it.

- Family: Perhaps a Grim Fairy Tale
For some, family is "a beautiful and happy facade, but upon closer inspection, a horrifying and dreadful grim fairy tale."
The protagonist, who suffers horrific acts at the hands of her family and sister, experiences an awakening and embarks on a journey of revenge, delivering intense dramatic thrills and a refreshing catharsis.

- Forbidden Desires and Their Fatal Temptations
Sometimes, humans simply want to do "bad things."
The difference lies in whether they have the brazenness or courage to act on these desires—or whether they justify their laziness and cowardice by confining themselves to the taboos they’ve created.
The characters in this drama, in their pursuit of money, love, status, and fame, will reveal their raw, unfiltered selves, unlocking the audience's suppressed desires and eliciting a sense of secret empathy."

But thankfully I was not disappointed, rather it was the opposite. It became so crazy and even more up to my taste past some point. (It doesn't have to be for everyone.) Apparently, there was a disagreement between the writer and the production team about certain provocative elements and story development, and the writer decided to leave the chance to a rookie instead of changing things herself. Nothing else was said.

Also, the original intent with the sisters was certainly kept. I do not believe the new writer did not communicate with the previous writer at all, and the ending was great.

Because daily dramas aren't pre-produced, with only up to 20 episodes filmed in advance, the conditions are even harsher. The higher-ups in KBS2 could be requesting for changes or additions because they care about the viewership ratings. However, I find it stupid and annoying. They already don't look high budget compared to other K-Dramas, and we are in 2025, most people except the older gen don't watch on TV anymore. It's the same with weekend dramas. No wonder the interest is dying if all they look at is TV viewership ratings. Well, dying isn't accurate (to an extent it is, even literally-), because even 7% is a lot. Although it does make sense that with time, the interest tones down.

But isn't it also because they are trying different things? When I watched Elegant Empire, which was amazing, there were complaints about the abuse (especially child abuse I think). Because families were watching it together during dinner. The last part of the main character's suffering in the past timeline too, for example, didn't feel good to watch. It was actually horrible. I think The Two Sisters was also criticized for being too irritating and stressful but this is so confusing, isn't it the point? I mean, it wasn't to me but you know. And whether the writer was changed or not, there was no way to get around that here because it would have been terrible, it had to get worse actually. In my opinion, it's a daily drama that suffered from trying to be too different, which is pretty sad, because I'm pretty sure that a better popularity could have given what it truly deserved. My guess with Snow White's Revenge is that maybe they stopped caring after all, and it's not like The Two Sisters showed a really noticeable improvement in ratings. Cinderella's Game, however, is better appreciated and went up to 10%... But somehow, I feel bad for these other daily dramas and it kinda puts me off.

Edit: Never mind, Scandal (SWR is too long) actually got up to almost 10% at the end. I guess that's still "low" compared to older daily dramas. I think MDL just got sick after Miss Monte-Cristo, Elegant Empire and The Two Sisters. These are all becoming become my favorites... 😭 And still the wrong audience. There are a few older ones I find interesting with cheating plots though hehe.

Makjang is meant to be provocative, so why limiting it? I feel like they are trying to evolve. Rather than catering to such audiences, they should start considering international audiences more and making them more accessible worldwide so that their popularity grows along with their potential. Besides, I know that a good amount of young people in Korea also love these. Do you think they watch them on TV? Especially live? Most often not. I had to recommend The Two Sisters and Elegant Empire to friends, because I knew they would enjoy them. The lack in popularity is evident. Also, the low ratings shouldn't scare anyone. The quality is surprisingly good in these new daily dramas and they are addictive.

Of course, makjang is a genre that allows for much more creative freedom, however, in such non-preproduced dramas, inconsistencies can also be caused because of such issues. Not to mention that sometimes, some actors or part of the crew have to leave for various reasons. (The actors are either replaced or their character is killed off/brought somewhere else. The Two Sisters had none of that though, it was just a death agenda.)

Anyway, I love that Korean soap operas have a strict format and are actually not "long." I love that they follow traditional Korean codes too. It was funny to see the same people hate-watching The Two Sisters, because meanwhile, they seemed rather hooked. They just couldn't drop it no matter what. Probably it was the same with Snow White's Revenge/Scandal, which I need to watch. The villain seems to be less my type but the main actress is so pretty and talented, I loved her in The Escape of the Seven. I also love her style in this drama, so I'll enjoy it anyway. (There are cool and handsome men too.)

I hope to see the actress of Bae Do Eun in a new drama soon, because she's clearly talented and passionate about acting, just like her co-star. Bae Do Eun was such a provocative, manipulative and villainous character, yet I really felt for her (for Lee Hye Won too, but I assume that's a given). A friend of mine who's pretty difficult when it comes to acting agreed when I showed her clips (of both her and Lee Hye Won) and said that she didn't expect that from a daily drama, who are these people on MDL from anyway? In the end, these viewers criticizing both actresses is a proof of their good acting.

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