Reviews

?He Only Plays For Keeps °6.8° °Good°

Gamers don't need a dating website because they can make good matches while gaming🎧. Our protags are fans of the RPG (role playing game) Chinese Ghost Story. FL, Wei Wei even has an in-game spouse - until she gets dumped. She won't be in the dumps for long, though: Her white knight is in the wings. Computers don't just facilitate hook-ups; they make identity theft pretty easy, too. While Er Xi may not have stolen Wei Wei's 🆔, she did borrow Wei Wei's CGS game character, which leads Wei Wei's crush to pursue Er Xi in the game, thinking he's hanging out virtually with Wei Wei. It also leads men at Er Xi's summer internship to believe that she's the top female CGS player. Er Xi, unawares, is getting all kinds of attention in the name of Bei Wei Wei, and Bei Wei Wei wouldn't have it any other way-way-way.

L020 is a 2016 release that is rated 8.3 on MDL. It is 1 season consisting of 30 45-minute episodes. It's obvious that the show was a precursor to the King's Avatar which also stars Yang Yang. (KA is great, but it contains no romance. It's about a RPG competition). Our FL, Bei Wei Wei, is jilted by her in-game husband in ep1. Many players suspect that she's not really a girl because she refuses to post photos online, and no other chick has come close to her top-tier ranking. Because of laptop problems she ends up having to complete a duel at an internet cafe where our ML, Xiao Nai, (the top-ranked player) gets a l👀k at her in the middle of her spectacular gameplay. He knows who she is now, but she didn't look back at him to see him looking back at her, as it says on Mr. Girlie's shirt. She don't look like no dude! She's😍gorgeous. When Bei Wei Wei's game character shows up to her ex's new in-game wedding, our ML is there as well. He proposes marriage to her. It's just a gaming marriage, but for her it's Cinderella✨time.

Xiao Nai, or Yi Xiao Nai He, as he's known in the game (Yang Yang), is a student of legendary popularity. He's the best looking, he's the smartest, and he's even good at 🏀. But he's as cold as a snow leopard's claws in January. He and his roommates/his bros have designed a new game and are preparing to launch it soon. Zheng Shuang plays FL, Bei Wei Wei / Lu Wei Wei Wei. She's a computer major and she's also the Belle of the Computer department. Between school, tutoring, and gaming, she has no time for love. Being pretty attracts jealous attention from other women, especially a couple of the mean girls on campus. Wei Wei and her dorm-mates apply for an internship at one of the big software companies that wants to buy Xiao Nai's game. Her identity, in part, gets switched with her perky and adorable roomie, Zhao Er Xi (Mao Xiao Tong) because Er Xi panicked in her interview and gave them Wei Wei's game 🆔 as her own. This leads to identity mix-ups. Several people believe they've met the gamer Lu Wei Wei IRL, but they've actually met Er Xi.

Wei Wei's new game marriage is wonderful💖. She starts to wonder about who the person is behind her game husband's character, Nai He. Should she meet him? In the meantime, back at school, Xiao Nai unexpectedly sits next to her in class(?!). Then Nai He wants to meet. She goes to the rendezvous point… Why is Xiao Nai, the untouchable legend, hanging around here today? Imagine her shock when he scoops her up, takes her to the inter-department basketball game and then lets e'erbody know they are now dating. The way it plays out is fun. They already got to know eachother online. He's way ahead of her as he's been able to observe her IRL for awhile, and when he makes a move, it's for the win. The rest of the show is dealing with the petty tricks, jealousy and fallout that happens when these two popular items are removed from the shelf. They are each taken, now, and not everyone has an easy time accepting that without a fight.

For a modern-day Chinese feature this is pretty good.

Yang Yang,who plays the ML, Xiao Nai, does sell the viewer on his attraction to our FL, and he manages some top notch romantic moments. His voice in L020 and You Are My Glory sounds deep-fake. I think his voice in Kings's Avatar is the real him. Can he act? I wasn't sure that he could, going into this show. I've only seen him play all-powerful all-knowing slightly smug male leads, and I've only seen him in modern-day Chinese features, which are completely different from Chinese fantasy and historical features. It's time to watch Who Rules The World to crystallize his assessment. Regardless of acting skill, he's quite beautiful, and he also contributes to the soundtrack. He's no Kun Chen (from The Rise of the Phoenixes) but he'll do. His game hair is awful, like Qin Dynasty politician hair.

Zheng Shuang is the FL., Bei Wei Wei. She's sweet and demure. She remains too demure throughout the show which gets a tad tedious. Mao Xiao Tong plays her BFF Zhao Er Xi. Despite references to her average looks, she is an adorable pixie. She actually does look like Cao Guang's (Bai Yu) 🐱, Coffee. They usually have her hair and costume looking dreadful. She has short hair that has grown too sloppy and needs 2" taken off, but she is routinely referred to as plain or even homely when she's actually a knockout.

Speaking of Bai Yu and Yang Yang, the show has lots of beautiful men. Bai Yu, sans glasses and curls, is a very handsome man when inside the game, CGS. Xiao Nai's friends are well casted. Zheng Ye Cheng is "Girlie," Hao Mei, and he might be better looking than Yang Yang. He's stern, masculine, and sexy in The Sleepless Princess(9.1). I never recognized him - that's good acting! Vin Zhang as K.O. (he is fabulous in Eternal Love-8.3) & Cui Hang, playing Qiu Yong Hou, compliment the visual feast, and Niu Jun Feng is not only a nice looking guy, but he has an endearing quality as Yu Ban Shan. Hao Bo plays the gynophobic Ah Shuang. His fear of women is why the fledgling company cannot hire females. Xiao Ling (Qin Yu) & Yu Yao (Guan Xin) are the other two girl dormies. They don't get as much screen time as Er Xi. They never bring everybody together, which is a shame. I kept waiting for it, but it wasn't to be.

The primary romance is low drama and pleasant as a warm breeze. Nothing much happens, and the show has that "Prozac" effect that Chinese modern-day dramas all seem to have. While Chinese historical and fantasy pieces are superb in every way, their modern-day stuff is weirdly relaxing to watch despite being deeply flawed. There are at least two secondary romances that are quite cute but left mostly unfinished - they absolutely should have been wrapped up better - that's not a minor flaw. The 🐱 appears to be in serious distress in a couple scenes. In the States, I think it would have created a stir; I was concerned for that kitty. He's a gorgeous feline. Just as in You Are My Glory, which also features the comely Mr. Yang, L020 is too focused on the good looks of the leads. 20% of the dialogue seems to be about the exterior appearance of the characters, and that is so skin-deep. (I realize that I may have committed 20% of this article to what the actors look like… perhaps that's hypocritical🙄, but script & dialogue and critique & commentary are not the same thing). The acting is often stiff, the dialogue is often unimaginative and witless, and the plot drivers such as game dynamics, corporate maneuvering, and technical workings are not explained in the least. Don't expect to learn anything interesting: This show will only bring on rhythmic breathing - and that's enough.

They play completely respectable 🎸 riffs during some of the action. I've seen China rock-out better than Japan, at times. Both of them rock out better than Korea. Korea, on the other hand, reigns supreme in the realm of pop and soft rock. Anyway, the soundtrack isn't bad at all. All-in-all, L020 is a show that romance junkies, who don't get too prickly over technical mediocrity, will like. With the benefit of foreknowledge, I would still watch it again for the first time. Technical excellence alone doesn't make a show good. It must speak to the heart as well. L020 is food for the heart, not the brain, but its true payoff is its Prozac💊effect.


〰🖍 IMHO

📣6 📝6 🎭7 💓6 🦋7 🌞6 🎨5 ⚡4 🎵/🔊7 😅3 😭3 😱2 😯4 😖0 🤔3 💤4 🔚7

Age +no age restriction with the following caution: There's a few oblique non-direct references to sex and waiting for it plus some kissing scenes.

Re-📺? This one's in the good-to-pass-the-time category, but I may never pass this way again….

In order of ~lite & trite~ to ~heavy & serious~ you may also like:

You Are My Destiny 7.3,
The Kings Avatar 8,
The Oath Of Love 7.6,
I Hear You 7.3,
Meteor Garden 7.4

Historical/Period:
Overlord 8.4,
The Sleepless Princess 9.1,
The Romance of Tiger and Rose 9.8,
Under the Power 8.6;
The Rebel Princess 9.1

Fantasy:
Love Between Fairy & Devil 9;
Douluo Continent 9.4;
Heavenly Sword 9;
Love and Redemption 10

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“But you can't fool the heavens”

A corporate slave is transmigrated to a world inside the book and becomes a detective, making allies and adversaries at every turn.

Strengths
• Compelling storyline with strong audience engagement.
• Outstanding performances, especially impressed by Dylan Wang.
• High-quality action choreography and a memorable soundtrack.
• Unique protagonist who succeeds through personality and wit rather than just physical strength; sticks to his principles even in the most unfavorable situations.
• Strong opening and conclusion with potential for a second season.

Weakness
• Pacing issues in the middle sections.
• The comedy at times might come off too forced.

Overall, a very good watch. Recommended if you like watching a drama with anime-style hero narratives.

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A sex-less relationship ?..umm..maybe... maybe not

An intriguing story on two lonely people who feel unloved, and stuck in their relationship, but somehow guilt-driven and not sure enough to question it directly or walk away, as yet

BL-needle score: 6 So far moderate BL-ness, but likely to go up in the subsequent episodes

Sei is attracted to Kazauki and lives with him as in a relationship...but Kauzauki was clear that they can never have sex or physically intimate...Sei feels cared-for and protected, but unfulfilled...starts to question and feel caged...Hagiwara has an apparently loving girlfriend who he is expected to marry, but they have completely stopped having sex...whenever he makes an advance, she avoids it indirectly.....which is starting to make him feel unloved, shut out, and slighted.... with a simmering frustration and anger that seems to be growing...

An accidental email gets Sei and Hagiwara talking...and as often lonely people do, they keep talking, unaware that they are actually office colleagues..even though they meet in the professional space, they do not know that their email-mate is this same person......The pent-up sexual and emotional frustration seems all ready to burst forth in their respective worlds, as they keep on with this apparently harmless email-chat....it seems very likely that they would be the hammer for each other to break open the dam of pent-up desires, emotions and frustration......

I loved how they seem to be creating conversations around the spectrum of sexuality (e.g. asexuality?), sexual expressions and desires, and how such diversity can impact relationships.....

Will update this review as the story progresses

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Justice for a relentless effort!!!!

Under the microscope deals with a unique concept of land measurement and silk poll tax.
Renhua county ,one of the 8 counties under Jin'an prefecture,has been paying 3530 tales extra tax towards the silk every year,for the past 100 years.Shuai Jiamo,known to be an arithmetic nut, accidentally encounters differences in land measurements and title deeds which leads to a conspiracy hidden for the past 20 years and eventually opens up the reason behind his parents death.
In a short drama spanning 14 episodes,the presentation was done excellently.From the investigation to the mystery unveiling,the process,the people involved,the pain taken by the protagonist and his friend, everything was perfect.
Zhang Ruo Yun ,Wang Yang,and all the other actors played their parts well.
The story, sequence of events, the twist,all were good.
I felt a slight discomfort only with the locations,but given the premise it is reasonable.Other than that,it is a highly recommended and worth watching drama.
Go for it👍👍

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Can someone cast these two in mainstream drama already?

This short drama keeps on coming up on my fb timeline and gets me invested. Lol. And I am very much liking the ML and FL’s chemistry in all their dramas I’ve seen so far. The acting is on par with the mainstream drama if not above some. Doesnt hurt that the ML is gorgeous af and the FL is also pretty. The ML looks like joongkook some times (and in certain angle) to me. Lol

The story line was ok, nothing too absurd or cringey. It may be a little bit too common and cinderella-ish, but after getting a bit tired of long winding/complicated dramas in full scale dramas, sometimes you just want to watch something simple and cliche, but still able to keep your interest. But what makes me impressed the most with these leads’ short dramas so far, is that their house, company and cars and even costumes always seem appropriately luxurious for a movie about an ceo/millionaire.

Watch this in YT while accidentally lurking around (lol) and tbh the translation is quite questionable, but despite that, i still enjoyed this a lot! Hopefully these two can make it big some day!

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All alone in a foreign land, I am twice as homesick on this day. / Fear not the lack...

... of friends as you go along! There cannot be a connoisseur not loving your song

These verses are all about the protagonist, Yang Ling, a salesman with great social skills, playful, funny and imperfect, but possessing a deep sense of justice and care for the people around him, projected (via video-game) in the isekai-fantasy Dafeng world, with a new identity: Xu Qi'an, a low constable and nephew of a middle-poor commoner Xu family, destined to progressively become the greatest hero of that empire. He has no time to dwell upon the new environment because he immediately finds himself in danger, imprisoned, facing the task to detect the truth behind the accusation of silver robbery with death sentence pending upon his uncle. A strong start (with excellent camera-work) for a highly engaging plot which will gradully depict the Dafeng, the relevant characters, build up relations (friendship, camaraderie, love and attachments...) and branch out interesting twists and subplots, while keeping you constantly at the edge of your seat or loughing like crazy.

The Dafeng world resembles the parallel universe of Joy of Life: Guardians of GotD and Overwatch Department from JOL have similar tasks and objectives (intelligence, investigation, keeping in check power undercurrents...). Its head Wei Gong develops a strong attachment with XQ, similar to Chen Pingping's towards Fan Xian. Although the genres of two dramas slightly differ (being GoD more isekai, more comedy and less angsty than JoL), Xu Qian and FX both basically "rise up the ranks" through merits/tasks they've accomplished. Heroic vibe is also highly similar (relaxed, not taken too seriously, with a lot of comedy). XQ and FX are both righteous (well, that's why they are heroes) but they also both possess certain "rebel" traits, because of their intollerance towards injustice. Finally, both heroes smartly use Chinese classical poetry, though this use serves also to strongly differentiate one from another: while Fan Xian is a poetry nerd, capable of reciting hundreds of them in just one night, XQ barely remembers two verses of each (as most of the people do, I assume), mixes them up (as he mixed the verses in the title: the melancholic Wang Wei's "Nostalgia for My Brothers on the Double Ninth Day" with encouraging Gao Shi's couplet from “Farewell to Dong Da” - wherever one goes, he/she will always find friends and people able to appreciate his/her value), flows that make this streetsmart, thoughtful, practical, perserverant and competitive character even more relatable.

The scriptwriting is excellent both on plot-development and characters-building side, and it skillfully interweave comic moments, deeper thoughts on human relations, magic and subplots into a (gradually, more) complex tapestry story. There are no dull moments and a viewer feels various pieces of the puzzle dropping at the right moment in the right place, hinting towards the shape of a "bigger picture". It isn't a 10, only because the last third of the drama feels slightly rushed (but this is due to the 40-episodes limit for C-productions) with a few things happening off-screen. Deng Ke's direction is a full 10 and many moments, actions and thoughts ("equivalent exchange", "take it slowly"...) will remain deeply impressed in your memory, inviting you to rewatch them (as well as wishing a S2!). The comprehensive aesthetics and (non invasive) music are also well chosen. All the actors deliver perfectly their characters with a few of them having a chance to stand out brilliantly, not only delivering but becoming the character they were performing.

I invite you also to rate this drama positively after watching it, if not for other reasons... as a (minimum) equivalent exchange for the wonder and lols it provided you. It will make you Dafengers and when you'll hear: "Do no wrong!", you'll be tempted to reply: "And fear no Guardians!"

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What a Ride!

**Zero Expectations, Pleasant Surprise**
I went into this drama with absolutely no expectations, and I have to say, it was such a fun and unexpected surprise! The comedy? *So good*. I laughed so much I lost track of time. The comedic timing, the way the story was set up, and all the twists along the way kept me thoroughly entertained.

**A Plot That Keeps You Guessing**
The story is definitely one of its strong points. It’s intricate, engaging, and full of clever twists. Just when I thought I had things figured out, the drama would throw in another curveball to keep things interesting. The pacing worked really well too—there was a great balance between the humor, emotional depth, and suspense. It kept me engaged from start to finish without ever feeling too slow or overwhelming.

**Comedy Meets Heart**
This drama is the perfect mix of laugh-out-loud moments and heartfelt emotions. It knows exactly when to hit you with humor and when to slow down for the more meaningful, emotional scenes. Underneath all the comedy, there are important messages about staying true to yourself and not being fooled by appearances. It’s surprisingly touching in ways I didn’t expect.

**Xu Qi An: Chaotic and Lovable**
Xu Qi An, the main character, is just such a joy to watch. He’s chaotic, hilarious, and so easy to root for. Dylan did such a fantastic job bringing him to life—I could feel the sincerity and genuineness in his performance. I’m not usually a big fan of Dylan, but he really nailed it here. Xu Qi An’s journey had me laughing, crying, and cheering him on at every turn.

**The Family Dynamic = Chaos and Love**
Xu Qi An’s family? Absolute chaos, and I mean that in the best way possible. Every single member is a total weirdo, but their love and support for each other shine through all the drama. Their over-the-top antics brought so much charm and warmth to the story.

**Supporting Cast Done Right**
The supporting cast is fantastic—every character has their own quirks and personality, and they all bring something unique to the table. Xu Qi An’s bond with Wei Yuan was so wholesome and one of my favorite parts of the drama. And let’s not forget Yang Yan—always ready to fight for Xu Qi An, no matter the odds. Watching all the guardians gradually come together to support our boy was incredibly satisfying and heartwarming.

**The Imperial Family: A Refreshing Twist**
The emperor? Pretty despicable, as expected. But here’s the twist: the royal siblings actually *like* each other! No scheming(ok, there is but not against each other though), no betrayal, just genuine sibling love. It’s a small detail, but it was so refreshing to see in a palace setting.

**Romance: Minimal but Cute**
Since this isn’t a romance-focused drama, the romance wasn’t a huge deal, and honestly, it didn’t leave a lasting impression on me. That said, it was still cute and endearing in its own way. The ML’s love interest had her sweet moments, and their dynamic added a lighthearted touch to the story without overshadowing the main plot.

**Themes of Loyalty and Unity**
One of the things I really appreciated was how loyalty and camaraderie were portrayed. Even when Xu Qi An clashed with other characters, when it came down to the right thing, they stood by him. Seeing everyone plead for his life and fight alongside him was so moving—it made the group dynamics even more impactful.

**Final Thoughts**
I didn't actually plan on watching this drama,but it’s definitely one I’m glad I checked out. It’s funny, heartfelt, and packed with great characters and an engaging story. If you’re looking for something that’ll make you laugh but also hit you in the feels, this is definitely worth checking out. And who knows? Maybe we’ll get an awesome second season to dive back into this world!

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Such an underrated but the best series to be released in 2024...

This 4-episode drama managed to deliver a complete and satisfying emotional experience, typically, it takes a longer series to develop characters and storylines, but this one really defied conventions and left me feeling fulfilled. Hyun-joong's portrayal of Cha Eun-tae is breathtakingly beautiful, and I found myself crying uncontrollably as I invested in his character's journey.
★★ My Rating: 10/10 ★★
Prepare a box of tissue if you're going to watch it, but trust me, it's totally worth it. A masterpiece that will leave a lasting impression on your heart..

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Barbie passione archologa

Bene, bentornati. Anno nuovo si ricomincia con la visione delle storie del mondo Dhevaprom/Jutathep e ovviamente cominciano con Khun Chai Yai, il primo dei nostri adorati cinque leoni. Come sempre, spoiler alert e mi sento quasi in obbligo di mettere un TW, sia alla serie (per una scena) sia per questa recensione perché citerò questa scena. Come sempre partiamo da una premessa: mi vanto del fatto che sono una persona che riesce a vedere le cose con prospettiva, nel senso che se una serie è ambientata nel 1957 (come questa), alcuni commenti che ad un certo punto vengono fatti nella storia io riesco ad apprezzarli come un modo per descrivere il periodo, se però non siete in grado di fare questa separazione (come può essere) o questi commenti toccano la vostra sensibilità (come è legittimo) allora leggete prima questa recensione e poi decidete se voler vedere la serie.

Partiamo con un breve recap: siamo nel 1957 e i nostri cinque leoni Jutathep si sono appena ritrovati dopo che i fratelli minori erano stati all’estero o per studiare o per varie vacanze e praticamente la storia parte già con il fatto che ALMENO uno di loro deve sposarsi con una delle sorelle Dhevaprom e la scelta, in maniera molto da fratello maggiore di Yai è quella di sacrificarsi per i suoi fratelli, anche perché la sua promessa sposa Dhevaprom è di quelle tre la più a modo (nel senso letterale del termine, ma ci torneremo sull’argomento), anche se nel suo cuore sembra esserci posto per almeno un’altra persona: un’amica di famiglia (che ora è sua studentessa all’università e il cui padre da quelle che ho capito è il suo mentore) che per anni ha visto come una sorella minore, ma che ora sembra essere diventata qualcosa di più. Per varie ragioni lui, la sua promessa Dhevaprom, Maprang e l’altro protagonista (il suo amico professore e figlio di una ricchissima famiglia, non nobile, ma che lavora con l’oro)si ritrovano in mezzo alle montagne a sventare, fra le altre cose il tentativo di un ricco “straniero” (Mr Edwards, del cui attore ad un certo punto, quando fa una risata malvagia, si vedono le otturazioni ai denti)di rubare tesori della storia tailandese. Non so perché mi sono sentita in dovere di scrivere questo piccolo riassunto della trama, ma mi pareva sensasata come cosa.
Bene ora passiamo alle cose che mi sono piaciute, poi parlerò dei TW (perché mi sono accorata che ce ne è un altro) e poi di alcune cose che non è che non mi sono piaciute, ma che mi piacerebbe diciamo “point out”.

Bene, le cose che mi sono piaciute:

1. La prima è una cosa che piace a ME e nessun altro è obbligato a farsela piacere, però io adoro le age gap stories (e ricordo che finché lui non la ha vista all’università (anzi forse proprio finché non è arrivato quel viaggio) lui non ha mai pensato a lei se non come la sua Nong) e un altro trope che adoro è il teacher/student relationship. Come ho detto, non devono piacere a nessuno, a me però piacciono quindi mi è piaciuta la storia.

2. Essendo ambientata negli anni ‘50 (appunto nel ‘57) è bello vedere questo mondo di estravanganza, balli e vestiti letteralmente di un’altra epoca. Non conosco come fosse la società tailandese dell’epoca, ma credo sia una buona rappresentazione dell’epoca, o al più dei ricchi, perché in questo caso sia Kate che Maprang sono M.L. quindi hanno il titolo nobiliare (e quindi siamo proprio in mezzo alla ricchezza della società aristocratica dell’epoca).

3. Parliamo un po’ dei personaggi che mi sono piaciuti: Kate. Lei è l’unica Dhevaprom normale. Nel senso letterale del termine. Quando scrivevo le recensioni dei figli ho detto (e mi ricordo di averlo fatto) che forse vedere la storia dei padri e delle Dhevaprom che si sono viste togliere il loro “promesso” mi avrebbe fatto provare un pelo di empatia per loro, beh spoiler, per questo primo installement almeno non è così (tranne ovviamente per Kate, la cui storia è molto bella e toccante, il personaggio empatico sia con Laor, che con le sue sorelle, che con le sue figlie che ho conosciuto in Dhevaprom si ritrova qua, infatti a differenza di altri personaggi, di cui parlo dopo, la Kate di questa parte è la Kate di Dhevaprom e vince il premio di migliore Dhevaprom di tutte), perché (e non siamo nemmeno nella loro storia) Rumpa e Maratee sono quasi peggio. Nel senso che quello che vedi nella storie dei cugini sono letteralmente delle verisioni a cui sono stati smussati gli angoli di loro: Maratee che praticamente è un genio del male che prende sotto la sua ala malvagia anche Rumpa e che decidono di quasi portare Kate alla rovina solo perché, se lei non si sposa con Yai, loro possono obbligare Chat o Phee a sposarle. Insomma, se pensavo che queste storie avrebbero potuto aiutarmi a renderle più tollerabili e magari a farmi provare un po’ di empatia per loro, questo è poco ma sicuro che non succederà mai. Con la storia di Kate non si può non parlare della sua storia d’amore con Chinnakorn: la loro storia d’amore mi è piaciuta molto, quasi quanto la storia di Jack ed Annie (ovviamente non così tanto, ma devo essere sincera loro saranno la coppia secondaria preferita di questo gruppo di storie).

4. Bene, se a qualcuno piacciono le gender swap stories (nel senso che Maprang e Kate di vestono da uomini ad una certa) troveranno questa storia per loro, visto che non solo viene fatta bene, ma è anche ilare (non ilare, sto troppo tempo su TikTok). Tutta la parte al sito archeologico è divertente, romantica e anche profonda quando parlano dell’importanza degli artefatti per la popolazione tailandese e la loro storia. Insomma si è capito che questa storia forse non è la miglio storia che io abbia mai visto, ma la me soggettiva vi dice che ha amato tutto di questa storia.

5. Allora, i genitori di Yai e dei fratelli sono morti. E voi direte e questa è una cosa che ti è piaciuta? No, la cosa che mi è piaciuta non è che i genitori sono morti, solo che per quel poco che si vedono le loro dinamiche mi sono piaciute. Il padre di Yai ha tre mogli, cosa non strana all’epoca (infatti anche Yai una certa alcuni pensavano avrebbe preso due mogli), ma le tre mogli, per quel poco che si vedono (perché è solo un flashback) sembrano non odiarsi e non aver creato animosità fra i loro figli (perché Yai e Phee sono figli di una, Chat e Lek di un’altra e Ruj di una terza) e non sembrava (ripeto da questo piccolo flashback che vediamo) che si odiassero (magari scopriremo differentemente nella prossimo stagione ma spero di no). Perché questo è il trope che più odio nei lankorn: madri che mettono zizzania fra i loro figli e che fanno tutte queste cose strane come svelare segreti e roba varia. No. Credo che nessuno dei genitori dei fratelli sia stato fatto vivere rispetto a quell’incidente d’auto perché così almeno le due nonne possono prendere veramente le redini della famiglia, cosa che non credo sarebbe stata possibile se ci fossero stati i genitori ancora in vita.

6. Se pensavo che i 6 cugini fossero legati è perché non avevo ancora visto il legame che lega i fratelli. Come ci sono l’uno per l’altro, come si aiutano, come Yai decide di sacrificarsi, anche se non ama Kate, solo perché sa che i suoi fratelli morirebbero se fossero obbligati a sposare le altre Dhevaprom e come i fratelli decidono comunque di lottare con lui per il suo amore anche se sanno che se lui non sposa l’unica Dhevaprom che non vuole il lusso dei Jutathep loro saranno obbligati a sposare una delle altre due. Insomma il loro rapporto è molto bello e toccante e spero possa essere sviluppato di più nei prossimi installment.

Bene passiamo ora ad una cosa che mi ha dato leggermente fastidio, ma non di questa serie, della serie del figlio di Yai: non mi piace come abbiano cambiato il carattere di Maprang rendendola una madre che continua a spingere suo figlio a sposarsi con Lisa come se non fosse successo un mega putiferio 35 anni prima con il loro matrimonio. Maprang è un così bel personaggio in questo installment e non capisco veramente perché sia stata cambiata.

Ora arriviamo ai due TW: come ho già detto ricordiamo che questa serie è ambientata nell’aristocrazia degli anni ‘50 della Tailandia (non nello stesso periodo in luoghi come la Germani dell’ovest, ok?). Quando Kate va al sito archeologico e sta con Korn (l’altro professore che chiamerò appunto Korn, perché è più corto) Korn comincia a provare dei sentimenti anche per Kate vestita da uomo ed ad una certa glielo dice, dicendole/gli che si è innamorato e che diciamo che accetta la cosa. Quando poi scopre che è Kate dice la frase “sono normale” (o almeno i sottotitoli la hanno tradotta così), indicando cosa: che amare gli uomini non è normale? Non credo, perché era abbastanza d’accordo qualche minuto prima. Quello che indentendeva credo sia più che altro associato al fatto che la società ha delle aspettative per una persona del suo ruolo, del suo rango e della sua disponibilità economica. Quello che voglio dirvi è che se sentite che la vostra sensibilità possa essere toccata da una scena del genere ovviamente non vedetelo, ma se riuscite un po’ ad inserire la situazione nel contesto socio economico del periodo, credo che quella frase sia solo un qualcosa che riflette la società e il pensiero del periodo. Io almeno cerco di interpretare così le due scene, visto che l’amico è stato un ally quando pensava che fosse Yai gay e poi era aperto alla possibilità di mettersi con Kong (Kate vestita da uomo). L’altro TW è meno sottile, visto che Kate passa una notte in mezzo alla foresta con un uomo (anche Maprang, ma non si sa perché lei meno)viene additata come una poco di buono, una donna “macchiata”. Ovviamente non lo è solo che capisco che le ultime due puntate, quando succede tutta la cosa in mezzo al bosco e quello che viene detto da alcuni personaggi possa toccare la sensibilità di qualcuno. Come sempre spero che vediate questa parte come una rappresentazione della società dell’epoca e non che qualcuno pensi che passare la notte con un uomo automaticamente ti “macchi” o che amare persone dello stesso sesso sia qualcosa di “anormale”.
Spero di essermi spiegata al meglio delle mio possibilità su questi due TW (cosa che mi ricordo era successa che con Chat).

Bene, one down, four to go. Al prossimo, Pawornruj

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A well-paced and interesting inside look at Korean afterschool academies

I started “The Midnight Romance in Hagwon” with no expectations at all and avoided it when it was first aired since I am not too big of a fan of noona romance. But I’m glad I watched it due to a Bingo challenge, as I ended up enjoying it quite a bit.

Having the word ‘romance’ in its title probably has set up some expectations for romance-lovers to then feel a little disappointed. Although the romance is cute and sweet for an episode or so, the majority of the time, the drama focuses on the inner workings and politics within the afterschool academies/tutoring centers. If you are not interested in this subject, it’s best to not watch this drama, otherwise, you would be bored.

Luckily, I was quite interested in learning about the academies. It’s having a different look into Korea’s education system, and a different point-of-view from another Korean drama, “Sky Castle” which I thoroughly enjoyed as well. “Sky Castle” focuses on rich families getting their kids into prestigious academies and colleges. “The Midnight Romance in Hagwon” focuses on the teachers and the rivalries between teachers and academies, with a much smaller emphasis on students and families. I have a feeling this drama might be more popular domestically than internationally. I also think the Korean audience understands and appreciates Korean literature and poems.

The first episode sucked me right in with an interesting conflict that shows up in the second half of the drama again and brings great tension between the characters. I like the progression and evolution of the relationship between Seo Hye Jin (FL) and Lee Jun Ho (ML). I also like how their romance evolves as well from sweet and cute to supportive and mature. The leads have great chemistry and I never felt weird watching this noona romance. Their interaction is natural, explosive when needed, and awkwardly cute as well.

Maybe because I did not binge this in one go, I find the drama well-paced with enough twists and turns to keep me interested and engaged throughout. I was rooting for Lee Jun Ho’s success with his daring and innovative ways of teaching. I was rooting and praying hard that the nerdy school teacher will remain true to his teaching ideals and not turn to the ‘dark side’. I was frustrated (but not surprised) of the downfall and am angry with the leads for how things turned out.

My favorite part is seeing three different teachers’ love for their students, wanting success for them yet going about teaching in very different ways and different ideals. My favorite scenes are the big blowups. The nerdy school teacher with FL in episode 1, the big argument of the main leads in ep 11, and finally as all three of them sit down and chat emotionally and passionately. I see where each of them is coming from, and agree with them all to a certain extent. Depending on whether you are a teacher, a student or a parent, you agree with each of them to a different degree.

I also really like the acting of the cast, both the main leads, the supporting cast and especially the veterans. I’m pleasantly surprised by So Ju Yeon’s portrayal of the confident teacher, Nam Cheong Mi. I’ve seen her in roles as high school students, and am glad to see her act as a confident and sassy 30-year old teacher.

I really don’t have any major criticisms of this drama and am quite surprised it has a rating of 7.7, which is quite low for Korean dramas. I just found the songs to be overly played, as much as I like them (the opening theme has a Beatle’s vibe to it). Other reasons for the low rating: 1) maybe the focus of the academies is too much/boring and not a popular topic, 2) maybe the romance is somewhat slow burn and not rewarding enough thus, not disappointing many, 3) maybe the downfall is too predictable, as we all know it’s going to happen sooner or later.

No matter the reason, I personally enjoy “The Midnight Romance in Hagwon”. I’ll recommend this drama if you are interested in learning more about the academies/tutoring centers, or a romance that’s a little different and evolves and matures as the series goes.



Completed: 1/19/2025 - Review #534

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