A whole season to set up for a finale

I wasn't really planning on watching s2 of Squid Game, mostly because I thought the open ending of s1 was satisfactory. I ended up giving it a try and while it had me watching all the episodes back to back to figure out what happened, I was left unsatisfied by the end of it. This review will contain spoilers from here out!

I thought that the concept of Gihun returning to the games to shut it down was great - the first two episodes had me excited to see the plan unfold, and I was hopeful that things would work out. Going into this season, I knew that they were already planning a third, so I didn't expect everything to be wrapped up. However, the first section of the games was frankly underwhelming, with none of the deaths even feeling that meaningful. We spent less time with the characters and didn't get much backstory on them, so it felt like I was less invested than I was with s1. Also, I felt like I was constantly waiting for this big plan of ending the games and it took so long for it to happen. Instead, we just watched Gihun live through another set of games and learn the same lesson that he did in s1: people's greed is not stopped by reason. As I reached the end of the series, I could tell it was going to end on a cliffhanger, and it didn't even end in a good spot! It really felt like this entire season was just to set up for the next. The games felt less intense, the deaths less tragic, and the plot to stop them was nearly nonexistent. Frankly, I wish I waited to watch this until s3 came out so I could just watch them both back to back.

Leia Mais

Red flag after red flag

My Stand-In was SO engaging - the twists the story took, the action scenes, and the dynamic characters were super fun to watch. The actors did a fantastic job portraying the characters, and the storyline was one of the most unique ones I've seen from a Thai show recently. It was truly a very well done show. However, I found it really hard to enjoy the main relationship because of how toxic it was.

Joe works as a stunt double for a famous actor named Tong, and has worked with him for awhile since they have similar builds. When Ming mistakes Joe for Tong from behind, Ming and Joe end up chatting a bit - and going home together. To the viewer, it's pretty clear that Ming's reason for hooking up with Joe is that he's actually in love with Tong, but Tong is straight and dating Ming's sister. To make matters worse, Joe genuinely likes Ming and wants to be with him,, but is completely unaware of the fact that not only is he Tong's stand-in in his movies, but also Tong's stand-in for Ming. Relationship troubles are quick to follow, as are the difficult politics of drama in the film industry.

You learn in the first episode that Joe dies in a stunt accident, and spend awhile getting back to this point, which I thought was really well done. Then, Joe navigating life in a new body adds another layer of plot and character development to him, which was fantastic to watch. But I could NOT get over how much I hated Ming throughout the series. Every thing he does is so clearly motivated by his own selfish interests, and it isn't for a LONG time into the show that he genuinely seems to care about Joe. I found myself hoping that Joe would come to his senses and date literally anyone else. By the end of the show, Ming was a bit better, but I was mostly just yelling at my TV hoping that Ming would leave Joe alone. If you don't mind toxic couples, the show is really interesting and well done, and worth the watch. If this is a deal breaker for you, steer clear of My Stand-In.

Leia Mais

Should have stuck to one plotline...

I saw so many people hyping this show up and I wanted so badly to like it but I just found that it felt like two different plots/worlds smashed together into one with no real link between them. I'm not trying to be a hater - the fight scenes were great, the effects were good, and the storyline was interesting, but I just could not like it as much as I wanted to.

Tharn and Phaya are training to become part of the special forces detective team, and the training is intense, to say the least. It seems as though Tharn has some kind of innate sense if Phaya is in danger, and this sense is rooted in visions that allow him to see the danger that Phaya is in. The two of them become closer throughout their training, and even closer after it's completed and they're initiated into the force. However, there is an evil lurking. While trying to catch a rich and powerful drug cartel, secrets of the Naga sea monster threaten their safety more than the cartel does.

My main issue here is that we have this drug smuggling investigation going on with a team of detectives we've grown to love, and also the plot of the Naga, which seems to be totally unrelated except for the fact that Tharn is involved. If this was a fantasy/supernatural story, where Phaya and Tharn are dealing with the issue of the Naga, I'd have no problems with it. Or, if this was a story about becoming detectives and investigating this elaborate case, I would love it. However, combining these two things took away from the show, in my opinion. It felt like the Naga was added on too late in the show to be really important, and also it felt like it took away from the detective aspect of it and didn't give us a chance to see the investigation fully play out. I found myself getting distracted while watching it, waiting for the (well done) action scenes and case developments.

Leia Mais

Kept waiting for it to get better

After the success of Love in the Air, I was curious as to what the actors would do next, so naturally I tried Love Sea. Unfortunately, this one really missed the mark for me. It was extremely average, with the most predictable plot imaginable. While the actors did a fine job, their characters didn't feel all that different from their roles in LITA, and the story kind of went no where.

Tongrak (Peat) is a wealthy, very successful author who decides to take a trip to an island to get over his writer's block. On the island he meets Mahasamut (Fort), who shows him around and takes care of him. While on the island, the two start hooking up, and Tongrak decides he wants Mahasamut to come back to Bangkok with him, where he'll pay him to basically be his live-in boyfriend. They enter into this contract with one condition: no falling in love. However, Mahasamut claims from the start that he can't agree to that one term.

For at least the first seven episodes, this show was frankly kind of boring. I'm just not a huge fan of the friends with benefits to lovers concept, and this one was exceptionally predictable. I thought of dropping this drama so many times but kept thinking that it had to get more interesting. While it picked up towards the end, even then I felt like we weren't really getting anywhere with the relationship or the characters. I think this is only worth watching if you're a big fan of Fort and Peat.

Leia Mais

Tried to do too much

My impression was that Gun and Pitch would be the main couple in this series, but their relationship was the worst out of all of them. An overdone, uninteresting love triangle with Zo that lasted way too long and an underdeveloped relationship between Gun and Pitch led to their relationship being so much nothing. Any time the story revolved around them, I found myself not paying much attention. The other two couples, however, stole the show. You have a sweet relationship that slowly forms between Wayu and Wayha, and then the messy and dramatic relationship between Pawin and Korn. These two couples are super entertaining and fun to watch.

However, the number of characters got the best of them in this show. With no time to develop the relationship between Gun and Pitch, the series felt incomplete. Not to mention the murder plotline that was introduced that receive little attention AT ALL despite being a major issue? It felt like the writers were throwing darts at a board to try to come up with what to do towards the end of the series. The ending felt unresolved and unfulfilling. I had to look up how many episodes this show had because I thought "this can't be the end, right?" Overall not a favorite of mine, but the side couples saved it and made it watchable.

Leia Mais

Don't waste your time

This is genuinely one of the worst shows I've seen. Between the horrible wigs, a mostly nonexistent plot, and toxic couples, there's no reason to watch this.

Day and Itt suck. And learning their back story makes them WORSE! Save yourself the mental damage this show does and watch literally anything else. Even the side couples are horrible! The more you learn about every character, the worse they get. An amnesia plotline spanning the entirety of the show is only interrupted by a back story full of sexual assault. The only good thing about this show was making fun of the wig they gave Itt.

Leia Mais

Stick through the beginning and it's wonderful

I was a little worried going in to WoH because I had kept hearing such great things about it, and I was concerned it wouldn't live up to the hype. However, after getting through the beginning of the show, each episode started to get better and better.

WoH is about Zhou Zishu, who is the chief of Window to Heaven. Window to Heaven is an elite team of assassins who take out corrupt officials in the martial arts world. However, Zhou Zishu's family has all left or been killed, so he decides it's time fo rhim to leave too. However, in order to leave Window to Heaven, he must imbed the seven nails of torment into his body, which leave him with only three years to live. He decides he will spend these three years wandering the world, drinking good wine, and basking in the sun. However, it seems that his remaining years won't be so peaceful - he gets wrapped up in saving a child, Chengling, after his clan is killed, and Wen Kexing, a fellow martial artist, is following them and trying to befriend the two. Zhou Zishu is wary of Wen Kexing, but over time the two become closer and jointly help to teach Chengling. But it seems the entire martial arts world is against them as everyone tries to get their hands on the Glazed Armor, which opens an armory said to hold all the secrets of the martial arts world.

Overall, this series was great. I honestly don't know how the relationship between Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing got past any kind of censorship, because calling someone your soulmate THAT many times is not something two homies do. It was great to watch their "friendship" develop over the series, and as secrets come to light, we see that friendship tested. I do think the "I'm going to sacrifice myself to protect you!" got a bit old after the (I don't know) 5th time?? But it truly went to show how much these characters learned to trust and rely on one another. I do think my biggest complaint about this show is that I think it would have been much more interesting if it was told from the perspective of Wen Kexing instead of Zhou Zishu. I found Wen Kexing to be a much more interesting character, and I feel like we could have gotten a little more exploration of his character. Still, I would highly recommend this one! BUT BE SURE TO WATCH THE EPILOGUE AFTER YOU FINISH EP 36!

Leia Mais

I FINALLY UNDERSTAND THE HYPE

If you're considering watching this at all, DO IT!

As someone that had never watched a Chinese drama before, I had no idea what to expect when starting The Untamed. I have had it recommended to me countless times but always put it off because of the length of the series. Finally, I figured I should go ahead and give it a shot - and I immediately fell in love with it. This is one of the best series I have EVER seen, and I don't say that lightly.

There's no way I could ever give a proper summary of this show without spoiling some major plot points, but this story explores the world of cultivators, where warring clans bring about questions of honor, loyalty, and trust. Wei Wuxian is our main character and is wonderful to follow not because he is without faults, but because he has many. Throughout the (admittedly, messy) timeline of this show, the viewer watches Wei Wuxian face hardships that make him question time and time again if he is doing the right thing. After you watch him promise to "live with no regrets", you see it constantly become more difficult for him to do so.

There is nothing better than a show that properly delivers a complicated protagonist that makes the viewer question if they agree with their actions. This is done exceptionally well in this show. Additionally, I found that the political issues between clans were very interesting and engaging, bringing up complex topics where you can see both sides. This adds to the complexity of Wuxian's character extremely well. Wuxian is constantly battling between maintaining order by doing what everyone wants him to, and diverging from the status quo to do what he thinks should be done - and this gets him in a lot of trouble. Plus, the relationship between Wuxian and Lan Zhan is just wonderful; I know a lot of people weren't happy that this isn't explicitly queer, but believe me, it may as well be. I was worried that because this is a much longer show than I'm used to that it would get boring and repetitive, but it never did. Each story arc connected to the next perfectly, and continued to build until the very last episode. The only issue I could see people having with this one is the time jumps, which as long as you're paying attention, I don't think are too bad. Same with the names of the characters, as many of them have multiple names. As long as you can get through that, this show is absolutely wonderful. It's beautifully emotional, visually engaging, and will have you staying up late to watch another episode. Deserves no less than a 10/10.

Leia Mais

Incredible Thriller to Binge

I think some of the low ratings here are from people that expected this to be a BL because Fluke is a main character. It's not. But it is an amazing thriller series that will have you constantly wanting to watch the next episode.

Dan is a new transfer student to St. Lawrence all-boys school. He quickly learns of a kid named Trin who went missing the year prior, and the other students found it strange that Dan sat in the exact desk that Trin did. Dan begins looking into Trin's disappearance a bit more, with the help of his friends, and it seems as though things are more complicated than he thought.

However, Dan has more pressing matters than Trin's disappearance. A shadow figure keeps appearing in his dreams and attempting to kill him. This worsens, and begins to happen even while he's awake. With the help of his friend Nai, who can see ghosts, Dan tries to keep his reality separate from his dreams - though the ghosts and shadow man make this difficult. As these encounters worsen, Dan realizes these visions may be tied to Trin after all...

This show had me on the edge of my seat every episode. Watching the main character start to lose his mind in his attempts to distinguish what's real and what isn't was truly a highlight for me, and Singto's performance as Dan was outstanding. The effects were good, and the twists and turns the storyline took were absolutely excellent. The only reason this wasn't a 10/10 was because the ending could have been wrapped up a bit better, but overall it was excellently done. However, if you're looking for a new BL with Fluke, this isn't it. Still, give it a shot if you like thrillers/supernatural horror/etc.

Leia Mais

Almost Good

I LOVE OffGun. I think they're a fantastic pairing and I will watch pretty much anything they're in. However, I was honestly disappointed with the Trainee. This show took so long to get good, and just when you think there's going to be developments in their relationship, you get nothing but crumbs. Additionally, the side couple had the worst trajectory I've ever seen in terms of relationship development, and overall it left much to be desired.

Ryan (Gun) is finishing college and in need of an internship. When there's an interview mix-up, he ends up interviewing for the directing team at a production company where he meets Jane (Off). Somehow, he gets the job - and hates it. Jane is extremely strict with high expectations of Ryan, who has never worked a day in production. Jane is frequently yelling at Ryan, to a point of Ryan being in tears. However, slowly the two of them start to understand each other more, and Ryan soon realizes he's developing feelings for Jane, though Jane remains guarded. You also have Tae (Sea) and Ba-mhee (Piploy) who seem to have a failing relationship, as Tae never has time for her. But as Ba-mhee starts spending more time with her mentor Judy (Kapook), she realizes what it's like to have someone take care of you.

The relationship between Ryan and Jane was SO SLOW. Not your typical slow-burn slow, but slower. I wish they would have condensed the first 10 episodes into about 6. There's just so much potential for that relationship dynamic - sneaking around the office because the relationship has to be a secret, the repercussions of a mentor dating his intern, the backlash they could face, etc. Instead, we get none of that, and instead are left with the same issue for the entire show: Ryan likes Jane, and Jane won't tell Ryan how he feels. There's so little time for them to be happy that the show feels incomplete. I think if I didn't watch this weekly I would have liked it more, but it was just frustrating to watch most weeks.

Leia Mais

Love or Obsession?

The Trunk was a lot more than I expected it to be, and I mean that in a good way. Contract marriage plotlines aren't typically something I go for, but this one seemed interesting enough to get me to watch it, and the shorter length of it made it especially easy to watch. I didn't expect to get so hooked on it!

Han Jeongwon (Gong Yoo) is currently going through a divorce that he doesn't want, and he's so desperate to keep his wife that he will do whatever she wishes to convince her; however, she insists on signing him up for a one year-long contract marriage with a woman of her choosing, and tells him that if he makes in through, she'll take him back. Jeongwon agrees, believing it the only way to win back his now ex-wife. The contract marriage should be straightforward, but it's anything but. Between the anxious drug addict main character, a contract wife with too many secrets, a controlling and manipulative ex-wife, and the ex-wife's new boytoy, there's bound to be conflicts. Things escalate further when the characters are towing the line between falling in love and convincing themselves obsession is the same thing as love.

This show did a great job at portraying the relationships. What I thought was super interesting was the dual timelines: one starting at the beginning of the contract marriage, and one about 5 months into the contract where the police are investigating the found trunk in the lake. The back and forth allowed for some excellent foreshadowing and parallels, though it did feel like they could have tied it all together a bit better. I thought that the contract wife's storyline was super interesting, but I just wish it had been a little more worked into the show. I actually quite liked the ending of the show, though it wasn't what I had expected for this one. I would say that it's best if you watch not just for the romance, but more for the rich people drama. Overall I'd say it's worth the watch considering how much they manage to do with only 8 episodes.

Leia Mais

Complex and dramatic GL that delivered!

This was an absolutely beautifully done GL, with complex characters and emotional storylines. I love Film and Namtan, and was super excited to see them act together and they delivered on the roles. They managed to tackle real-world issues like disability access and homophobia, while still being able to focus on building a romance between the characters. My only complaint with this one would be that it did feel like a lack of honestly between the characters caused a lot of the later issues, but overall it was a great watch and it makes me even more excited for GMM's future GLs.

Ai and Oom (Namtan) are twins, but polar opposites. Oom is the perfect child, with a good job and an upcoming wedding to her rich fiancé. Ai, on the other hand, is scraping by as a delivery driver. On the night of her wedding, Oom asks Ai for a favor: now that she's married to a man she needs to break up with her girlfriend, and wants Ai to do it for her. Shocked by the sudden news of her sister's affair, Ai almost doesn't agree; however, after Oom gets into a car accident on the night of her wedding leaving her in a coma, Ai feels she should honor her sister's wish. Upon arriving at her girlfriend's house, she meets May (Film), who has recently gone blind. Ai doesn't have the heart to break up with May for Oom, and instead pretends to be Oom and keeps the relationship going. Ai and May start spending more time together, and as her feelings for May grow, so does her guilt.

I was super excited to watch this show, especially after how much I loved GMM's other GL 23.5. I am typically a bigger fan of more dramatic shows, and figured this would be right up my alley. I do think that a lot of themes in the show were already brought up in similar ways in other GMM shows (disability awareness for the blind in Last Twilight, swapping places with a twin in Not Me, etc.) and could have either pushed these ideas a little further or tried to do something a bit more different with them. Regardless, I'm super happy to see GLs finally becoming more popular and am excited to see what Film and Namtan do next!

Leia Mais

SO different from the description

This show being described as some high schoolers getting into illegal business does not describe what's actually going on here. It's not about some little petty crimes these high schoolers commit - in fact, I'd argue it's not about the crime at all. This show is about the downfall of Oh Jisoo, our main character.

Oh Jisoo is a high school student that fully supports himself. He's got no family or friends to lean on, and no drive to seek help. He takes care of himself; however, he needs money to do that. Jisoo runs a protection service for sex workers, but remains anonymous to his clients. He sends in help when it's needed, takes a cut of the pay, and never has to meet his clients face to face. However, when Gyuri, a girl from school, starts learning of Jisoo's activities, she wants in. You watch Jisoo, who was doing just fine on his own, slowly crumble as everything he has built falls apart with no way for him to right his wrongs.

I was super excited about this show, especially because of the high ratings, but was fairly disappointed. The first 8 episodes felt like minor conflicts were being drawn out for no reason, and honestly I wasn't really rooting for a single character in this. However, I will say that the ending was perfect and the last episode kept me very entertained. For a shorter series, it was a fairly enjoyable watch, but I found myself not paying attention to large portions of it because it felt like a lot of conflicts didn't matter. I do think if you go into it knowing that the true story here is not about the sex work or the crimes, but about watching our main character fall apart over the course of the show, it would be a much more engaging watch. Every issue he faces builds on top of the last, and with no ability to resolve his problems, Oh Jisoo slowly loses his mind.

Leia Mais

More romance than fantasy

I expected this to be a fantasy romance similar to Tale of the Nine Tailed (also starring Jo Boah), but was a bit disappointed in the lack of fantasy elements! The plot revolves around Hongjo (Boah) who is given a spellbook from Shinyu (Rowoon) and decides to use the love spell to make her work crush fall in love with her. Naturally, things go wrong. Meanwhile, Shinyu desperately needs her to cast a spell to cure his disease that is seemingly incurable, and worsening. After the first few episodes though, these fantasy elements seem to be totally lost! While past lives and family history get brought up, I thought there would be a lot more going on with the spells/generational curse/etc. than there was.

Watch for the romance and it's a fantastic show. Rowoon and Boah have great chemistry as the main couple and are super fun to watch. But if you wanted to watch this for the fantasy elements, they're not there in much capacity when compared with other fantasy romances.

Leia Mais

Slowburn rivals to lovers?? Count me in.

Bad Buddy is a show that I didn't expect to like as much as I did. While it looks like a classic, cheesy, Romeo-and-Juliet style romance, it's done exceptionally well.

The relationship between Pat and Pran starts off with what seems to be them hating each other - except that's what the character's want everyone to believe. Not only do their parents forbid them from being together, but (naturally) architecture and engineering students could never date due to their rivalry. This forbidden romance between childhood best friends that have finally been reunited is just an enjoyable and sweet watch. The conflicts throughout the show make you enjoy the characters' arcs, and watching them go through issues with their families, friends, and school.

Bonus points for including women as actual characters with personalities (let's go lesbians!!!)

Leia Mais