Reviews

Junior's Queen Energy Made the Show

What I loved most about this drama was how Sun, a carnivore, was constantly taming his instincts so he doesn't literally EAT Junior for lunch, but Junior tried whatever he could to tempt him. He even used catnip on the panther. Literally, that shameless penguin was born with no fear, cuz he was courting dead the whole series.

Listen, Caged Again was nothing to write home about. The premise of the show was quite unique, interesting and different from the same school based bls we always got. So although I was sceptical, I still tuned in for it. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectation, the execution and the plot was all over the place, and everything was frankly a mess. Some of the characters were dumb as rock, nonsense misunderstandings that could be resolved if they just spoke dragged the pace, how that whole kidnap thing ended was so stupid, I'm still asking myself 'who dafug wrote this?' and I have like a billion questions as to how the penguin and the panther integrated into society with no legal papers. That last villain vs heroes stand-off had me shaking my head in judgement, literally the eff was that?

Yes, so many things made no effing sense and was flat-out ridiculous, but I'll give them this, the two leads, although new, did well with their acting. Junior stole the show for me, that penguin was such a drama queen and I loved every time he was on screen. Not gonna lie, with how the whole plot was all over the place, I thought I'd end up disliking the series, but, I liked this show more than I thought I would. I had some good laughs. Sun and Junior had good chemistry and entertained me with their antics. Their two friends were an okay addition as well, although not really sure what was up with them, and I liked how meta the Goddess was too.

Scenes that made me went hihi:
- In the beginning when Sun saw Junior as food in all those fantasy tripping sequence. Lol, like damn, don't eat your classmate.
- Junior turning his ruined gym uniform into a tank top, and doing a runaway show in the school's hallway. Slay!
- When Junior tried to seduce Sun by wearing that penguin suit. And I can't believe it worked, cuz all he did was lift Sun's arm and put it back down. Sun, honey...stand up!
- That whole catnip scene had me going... boy, do you have no regards for your safety? That penguin was shameless.
- Sun wanting their baby to have the face of a penguin and the body of a panther. Like??? then he got disappointed they couldn't have any. I'm glad they got a fish, hopefully they take it to the zoo and it becomes a person too.
- Junior waiting a few months, then started planning his life of moving to Bangkok and marrying someone else. LMAO, that penguin's sass needs to be studied. Sun lucky he showed up in time, boy was ready to move on.
- How sassy, naive, adorable, innocent, honest and bold Junior was. I loved how he was always true to himself and was unapologetic. He did this whole human thing better than most of us.
- That temple fair date that ended with them in the gambling club, but Junior just went with the flow, putting his dancing and gambling skills to use. Like, children, does this place look like a temple to you?? also how Junior got that piggyback ride... such princess behaviour, I stan!
- Sun's future job where he was an actor/stunt-man. LOL, the part when he fell before they even hit him, then after he was so proud like he did such a good job. Boy???
- That obvious green-screen North Pole :((((
- I also like how deep Sun loved. He found Junior and made him his whole world. Those two truly deserved their happy ending.

All in all a fun show if you go in not expecting anything, matter of fact, don't even question stuff, just go with the flow. You'd like the penguin for sure. So, I'll recommend it if you are looking for something to watch, just to watch something. I look forward to more work from the two leads, Ben and Jay, really liked them here.

Happy New Year.

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Pena que só posso dar 10

Uma verdadeira joia rara. É assim que eu descreveria essa série.

É a história de amor mais linda que já assisti. Uma verdadeira obra de arte. Mestre Shang é um cantor da opera de Pequim jovem e impulsivo, mas extremamente talentoso. Líder de uma trupe que enfrenta vários problemas financeiros até serem apadrinhados por Cheng Fengtai, um rico empresário que possui uma história triste relacionada à opera de Pequim. Os caminhos de Shang e Fengtai se cruzam, levando a um relacionamento engraçado e doce.

Os personagens são complexos, bem desenvolvidos e passam por crescimento significativo ao longo da série. Todo o elenco fez um trabalho maravilhoso para dar vida a esses personagens. A atuação é simplesmente de primeira. Yin Zheng e Huang Xiaoming desempenham seus papéis com maestria, criando uma química incrível entre os personagens, deixando você com a sensação de ter assistido à mais bela história de amor no período mais turbulento da história chinesa.

Sempre achei a história da Ópera de Pequim e a cultura por trás dela fascinantes. E essa série me fez realmente apreciar a música e o canto. Adorei assistir as cenas de ópera e como algumas de suas árias se entrelaçavam com o enredo ou refletiam os sentimentos dos personagens. Além disso, a série oferece uma visão fascinante das mudanças sociais na China daquela época.

Os figurinos usados nas performances de ópera são deslumbrantes, intricadamente projetados e cheios de simbolismo.Os cenários foram meticulosamente criados para refletir a década de 1930, transportando os espectadores para a China pré-guerra.

Super recomendo!

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OMG! Now, I need a hug!

I entered into watching this, totally bamboozled. I THOUGHT by the synopsis that I was getting a sweet romance. I was so ready for a nice little love fest. But what I got, was a love that spanned 12 years muddled by horrific trauma and a monstrous obsessive psychopathic parent from hell!

My eyes hurt. My heart hurts. My feelings hurt! And...who EVER created this drama needs a GD hug themselves!

In this story, our ML and FL were beautifully crafted and the above all way they understood each other and how at such a young age our FL didn't blame our ML...my gawd!! ALL the onions and tears! I hurt for them. I rooted for the true support and our ML's spirit mother and sister. I just... this was a breakdown! Again... all the onion!

I despise how in this world (because I don't know SK laws like that) how damn LONG it was taking to unalive this villain! I THOUGHT he had been sentenced to death. SENTENCED!!! Yet here he goes just breathing in the hole. AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Anyway. This was heartbreaking good and for those who got sucked in by the vague synopsis, this story is about two young teens whose lives are destroyed by the murder of the FL's parents...by the ML's father, a serial killer. It spans 12 years of turmoil, grief, and pain.

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I thoroughly enjoyed The Devil Judge for its outstanding cinematography, sharp editing, and Ji Sung's exceptional performance. However, while the first half (up to episodes 9/10) was gripping and brilliantly written, the latter half felt too draggy, packed with excessive angst, and kind of cartoonish. Additionally, I found Ga-On's character (played by Jinyoung) frustratingly inconsistent—his constant shifts in loyalty made him come across as immature and unreliable.

Overall, it’s a solid series that had the potential to be even better, particularly in its second half.

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Such a cute show

Now anything GeminiFourth I watch cause I’m so obsessed with them and they are so young and talented. When I heard that this show was coming out I was so excited cause my babies will be in it.

This was such a cute show and it was young, honest love. Just high school kids trying to navigate life, school and first love. Everything for them was firsts and they are trying to figure themselves out and who they want to be and it is just so amazing and I love the innocence of it all.

We are first introduced to Atom and we can see that he is a good person, overthinking and a little dramatic at times lol but his heart is in the right place and his always there to help his friends out even if it means helping them out with someone his starting to fall for to.

Then there is Matmi she is so cute and such a good friend, she already has a huge crush on Half and I love her character in this show it shows she is strong and dependable friend. Yes she may sometimes be dramatic like her bestie Atom but she is always there for her friends and ready to help.

Kongthap is such a smart, quiet caring person and I love that his character is just so laid and gentle. The way he treats Atom is so cute he genuinely loves and cares for his boyfriend. His a very supportive friend and kind. He too is also discovering himself so there are things he doesn’t know how to do or say but he is trying and putting the work to communicate better.

Half is just so cute and just a chill guy. Every one wants to date him of course but I live how his such a good friend to Atom and when Atom told him that he likes Kongthap he didn’t judge him but just accepted it cause that’s his friend and and it’s ok to like who you like.

Through out the show Atom and Matmi really were the stars in the show we can see that they share the same energy all that and they are so supportive to each other and they boyfriends of course. The moms in this show were so supportive and accepting. Even though this was an adaptation of the Japanese version with the same title I loved how they made it they own made it Thai showing the culture of Thai and making it there own so it was so refreshing and interesting.

Just watch this show it’s so cute and it has GeminFourth even though product placement was a lot but it was a show worth watching and it will make you feel giddy and excited 😊

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réservé à un certain public

Je n'étais visiblement pas la cible du drama. J'ai eu énormément de mal à m'y retrouver et surtout à me laisser transporter par l'ambiance particulière que la série propose. Je pensais apprécier n'importe quel genre, pourvu qu'il soit réalisé à la sauce coréenne, mais c'était avant de m'arrêter sur *The Trunk*. Amoureux des films noirs, ce drama est pour vous. Me concernant, je sais dorénavant que je suis en divorce avec lui.

Au-delà de tout ça, je salue la performance de tous les acteurs. Grâce au jeu qu'ils m'ont offert, j'ai pu passer un agréable moment (et c'était tellement en cohérence avec le reste).

Je me devais aussi de faire mes remerciements au chef décorateur qui a travaillé sur le tournage. Il a su transmettre l'ambiance pesante qui oppressait les personnages de l'autre côté de l'écran.

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Wasted plot ideas and character development

Let me just start by saying that while I enjoyed the first season I didn't love love it, but was very interested in the second season just because of what was teased at the end of the first season and what the trailer seemingly promised: Dark Shen Yi. I wanted to see Shen Yi go down a darker path and somehow claw his way out with the help of his friends and colleagues, but that was not what we got.
Dark Shen Yi aside, I at least want to be entertained by the cases, but holy moly I really wasn't. The first season had this problem (for me) too. The cases are easy to predict and the actual police work boring to watch (other than Shen Yi and his drawings).
I sound really bitter, I guess I am because this drama has all the threads of an exciting and interesting show, but they continually fall short, just giving the bare minimum. Everything felt so surface level and not deep in the way that I think they're trying to be. I think I'm most disappointed by it all because it feels like the writers/directors are wasting an excellent characters and ideas.
Also, I know there's talk of a 3rd season which I would check out because they pulled me back in with Evil!Shen Yi. A twin? A long lost brother? Who knows. But what I do know is that while they've set up something so interesting, I doubt they'll do anything really worth while.

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Penquin Only

If you are inclined to watch this do not go into it with any expectations and you won't be disappointed. Yes it was scattered, poorly written and unbelievably stupid. I fully supported releasing the last 3 episodes together. Why stretch the unbearable? A better script might have them becoming shape shifters, exploring the world by night but living their animal form by day. Then a catalyst happens forcing them to make a choice. Their choice would include being adopted by Ton and Nam with Jeng and Jod as friends in their escapades. No, what we got was a whole lot of nonsense, with irritating side characters and with outlandish plot twists. Eliminate the rest of supporting cast and the money saved could have gone into more cgi to enhance the plot.

Then I remember Penguin and I'm okay with some aspects. He is innocent, naive, sassy with a big heart. He was the only reason that would excuse wasting 8 hrs of mind blowing nonsensical. Sun, rubbing his face against Junior aka Penguin and resting his head on Junior's shoulder while telling him how much he loved him, made for a very sweet moment. Junior crying in ep 10 undid me. His process of deduction and internal conversations are humerous. That is all.

Take Junior and Sun out and you can burn the rest. For relative newbies they were okay, especially Jay. I do hope they get better scripts because they are cute together. I can not recommend watching this. No, I really can not. Go to a real zoo instead.

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Excellent historical series, with a great CL.

PLOT: The FL, daughter of a minister, married to a moron who cheats on her, unloved by her family, leaves her husband, meets the ML (poisoned general, helping the Qing prince to access the throne and betrayed by him). They are both killed. She wakes up as a teenager and tries to “put things right”: death of her mother, hostility from her stepmother, corruption from her uncle, etc. The ML also has a dysfunctional family and lives with his loving general uncle. Later, they marry and try to survive plots, succession conflicts at Court, etc.

+++ Excellent actors (all). I'm delighted to see Li Yun Rui in his second lead role (he deserves it).
+++ Very beautiful cinematography: sets, costumes, framing, lighting, fight scenes. Everything is perfect.
+++ Excellent OST
+++ Dynamic realization, without downtime. Very catchy start, full of mystery, suspense.

### Some lengths in the 2nd part. A few clichés (poisoned ML, succession struggle, etc.). The “2nd chance” part is not exploited enough.

=> Excellent historical series, with a great CL.
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PLOT: La FL, fille d'1 ministre, mariée à un crétin qui la trompe, mal aimée par sa famille, quitte son mari, rencontre le ML (général empoisonné, aidant le prince Qing à accéder au trône et trahi par lui) et ils sont tués ts les 2. Elle se réveille ado et tente de "redresser" les choses : mort de sa mère, hostilité de sa belle-mère, corruption de son oncle, etc. Le ML a également 1 famille dysfonctionnelle et se réfugie près de son oncle général. Plus tard, ils se marient et tentent de survivre aux complots, conflits de succession à la Cour, etc.

+++ Excellents acteurs (tous). Je suis ravie de voir Li Yun Rui dans son 2e main lead rôle (il le mérite bien).
+++ Très belle cinématographie : décors, costumes, cadrages, lumières, scènes de fight. Tout est parfait.
+++ Excellentes OST
+++ Réalis° dynamique, sans temps mort. Début très accrocheur, plein de mystère, de suspense.

### Qq longueurs dans la 2e partie. Qq clichés (ML empoisonné, lutte de succession, etc.). La partie "2e chance" n'est pas assez exploitée.

=> Excellente série historique, avec un great CL.

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Tragic Love

Come and Hug Me starts off so strong with a focus on flashbacks of the main characters to when they met in childhood. As their tragic backstory unfolds, it explains why they lost touch and why things are as they are for the characters as adults. The actors playing the younger versions of the main characters really stole the show, especially the young male lead actor. The younger actors were so compelling and had fantastic chemistry, which I felt that the older actors were not able to duplicate. This is a rare case where I wanted to see a lot more flashbacks than we got, as they mostly stop after the beginning of the show.

The story was much darker than I expected. Everyone in the show is traumatized and just expressing it in different ways. I found Hyeon-mu, the brother of the male lead, to be one of the most compelling characters as he grappled with his loyalty to his biological family and his desire to belong in his found family where he felt unwanted. The dynamic between him, the male lead, and the stepmother and sister was one of the best parts of the show and I wish there was more of it, both in present day and in the flashbacks.

A lot of the present day storylines with the media and police were a little weak. The reporters, especially the main woman, were so cartoonishly evil and stupid that it felt pretty silly and annoying at times. It was also hard to get past the idea that both a detective and prosecutor would be able to be the leads on a case involving their direct family members.

The performance of the actor playing Hui-Jae was a highlight even though it was disturbing because he captured a psychopathic serial killer so well. He had a way of acting like a normal person and then letting the mask drop that was truly chilling. Even though most of the violence and gore is not shown in detail, his performance made this show very tense and even scary at times.

I think Come and Hug Me would have been a better show if it was shorter, maybe 12-14 episodes instead of 16. It was really dragging by the end. This show really did make me feel things and there were some really good performances, especially at the beginning of the show. Even with some of the plot and character issues, it could still be worth a watch if you want a sad romance.

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You should watch it

Overall this series is light and cute . For the younger bl fandom this would be perfect. I would love to see a season two where they are in college and more intimate . If they were able to use the exact cast it would be superb.

Story/Plot
This received the lowest rating for me simply because the story followed the flow of a circle . In the beginning it was fine but as the series progressed the plot became boring and predictable. This would have had a greater shock value if it was between 8-10 episodes.It really did not need 15 episodes.For the appropriate age group (anyone below 20) the plot is quite relatable and you will now be bored . However if you typically watch more mature series you will get bored of the plot around episode 8. The good thing is that each episode has that one moment that makes you want to watch the rest.

Acting/ Cast
I can honestly say the cast is spectacular no cringe moment whatsoever. The acting felt natural and very appropriate for the characters’ ages.The cast if they continue in the Bl scene will be a force to reckon with. If you’re older than 18 you might have trouble shipping them because the cast is so young it feels weird.

No
No’s character is goofy and fun . His emotions were always on spot . ❤️
Pun
Pun’s character brought the damsel vibes but he was so adorable to watch especially when he got jealous ❤️
Earn
Earn’s character was very good as well. My heart broke when he cried but when he got his own boo I was over the moon❤️
Ohm
This character was overall my favorite because he was the perfect balance of all good qualities ❤️❤️
Music
The music was good and the characters who actually sang sounded natural . I think most of the singing was lip syncing but it was very good .

Rewatch value
For teenagers you will definitely watch this multiple times . When watching this series prepare to wish you were in high school or prepare to feel lonely 🫣🫣🫣🫣

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Overall well executed but missed crucial parts

Overall the series suprised me with a few twists. Its not usually my genre and i thought about dropping it but the story continued and made curious on how it will all end. If you dont enjoy drama and girl fights, this one is not for you. Each episode contains female "influencers" dissing each other and trying to ruin each others careers and life. The acting was exceptional, marked by unexpected and intense violent outbursts. Each character had its personality, likeable or not. For a little too much personally and storywise there it couldve been more interesting rather than "oh look what she posted". What really bothered me the whole time while watching the relationship between the main character seo ari and Han Jun-kyung. The was a lot of silence between them and most scenes were them just looking at each other. The few scenes they shared were lacking in conversation and interaction, which were almost entirely absent. It couldve been done great and wouldve added so much to the story but they did a miserable job. I dont know what producer or skriptwriter thought a relationship looks like this but it doesn't.

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