Darjeeling Grey
Smooth storyline without the extra romance in a criminal, investigation drama
The drama is an adaptation of Korean drama Hello Monster (2015), but it very much has improved the storyline in the original.Watching the original, I was very much disappointed by all the plot holes and excessive plot they have between the main storyline and the side stories of crimes and romance. It could have been better if there were some clarity as to why the characters suffers their fate or act a certain way. However, if you are into a bubbly crime solving drama then that one is for you. Not to say that the original was bad, it was very good in the chemistry between the characters and introducing an intriguing story in 2015.
When Mouse (Korean Drama) came out, I am blown away by how amazingly tight knit a crime drama can be while showing more realistic characters' reactions. Upon hearing the Thai remake of a high potential drama, I had a high expectation going into Remember You (2021).
The first quarter may not be as amazing introducing the characters and their chemistry as the original but making it pass halfway will be worth it. To be honest, I was unimpressed by the first few episodes as they are somewhat a bland replica of the original until I discovered the plot fix in the first crime case they solve together. It shows me the potential the rest of the drama is and I am glad I didn't give up on it. Plot holes in several occasions in the original were filled and improved, unnecessary plots/storylines were trimmed, characters finally have more realistic feelings, and the ending is a close ending (I won't spoil it).
The most important thing in conclusion is it gives the spotlight on the main relationship - the brothers amongst the less important one the original pushed it to. Also, the characters are reimagined very well and I love them passing the first quarter (sorry but the original characters were sometimes off from what they are suppose to be like female cop, little brother etc. who are supposed to know how to fight).
Now that I have watched the whole drama, I think it was great that the first quarter was slightly boring since the main character did not know or even have hope that his brother is still alive to be so motivated.
Ps: There is no OST or song in the remake (hence the 1 point in Music) but I'd rather have cinematic soundtracks than OST that is put in wrong moments.
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Short sweet kdrama about teenage gender
Thanks to Mio, a user on this website, I can watch the drama. Go to the links in their comment for non-sub. It is not complicate to understand and that is the first good point - the drama does not rely on voice lines to convey the story. You can understand every thing in the drama just watching it. It is a funny, soft, platonic, romance about teenagers and genders.!!! Spoiler alert !!! Don't read "1. Story summary" if you don't want to be spoiled.
1. Story summary:
The story is about JY who is intersex and got adopted as a baby left behind in the hospital by a gay man married to a female doctor in contract. They all live happily as a surfaced couple with an adopted child and the uncle - the dad's mate. JY grow up to a teenager and experience both wet dream and period. The family WERE the only ones who knew about JY's secret with SR.
SR is JY best friend since childhood and JY now switches school to become SR classmate. WR is SR classmate and first met JY in the most kdrama way possible - touching hands while picking up something. JY joined the school wearing boys' uniform and the teachers were gossiping about JY intersex which got overheard by the class president. WR was caught off guard by JY uniform because WR fell in love at first sight.
WR bond with JY in a basketball game and began to question whether WR is gay or not. Meanwhile, JY is questioning whether JY like SR or WR. SR was jealous when other girls asked JY out. SR called JY out to meet SR and ask if JY want to date SR (kdrama pin to the wall). WR start to watch porn to try and figure out WR sexuality and did not get turned on. WR goes to the doctor for therapy since WR could not get hard while JY agree to date SR.
Lots of therapy and family time for JY - very supportive. WR family is funny and sadly, could have been important to the storyline. Most of JY classmates are open to accept genders - could have also got more storylines.
Kdrama dodgeball PE plot works out well as SR like being protected by JY in the boys and girls match while WR got hard as JY held WR from behind - physical contacts. JY refuse to kiss and only hug SR as JY like SR but is not ready. WR called JY out to confess in the night. More kdrama style when JY said WR might regret it but WR said "I only have eyes for you".
All this time, the class president hacked into JY computer and webcam, spies on JY and plan to expose JY to the whole school. SR knew this and tries to find the culprit but never did. JY got exposed and called to the teachers' room. The parents (surface couple) were called to talk about if JY wants to switch school. SR stand up for JY in class and WR protected as well as confess in front of the whole school when JY was bullied.
JY returned to class to find that their classmates were really accepting and happy ending as JY got time to figure out JY sexuality between/with SR and WR. Happy ending.
2. Personal opinions:
The main characters in JY, WR, and SR are very well written and portrayed. they have depths to the characters with many quirky moments. They are not flat out boring and obvious like many romance dramas. Although there are obvious kdrama moments to push the romance, it is subtle with logical progress and does not feel forced at all - they don't even have a definite couple in the end.
The drama got great portayal of a positive environment for gender and sex (maybe borderline unrealistic). Therapy were given, supportive family, supportive classmate, and kdrama men style - go for you no matter what. JY is so lucky to have knowledgeable parents and accepting community with true best friends in SR and WR.
It's too bad the drama is only 4 episodes because the established characters were written very well while the sides characters did okay considering their screen time - more side characters development is possible. I want to know more about SR 2 other female friends as well as the boy classmate - who could have shared something with JY. The only side character that had too little depth was the villian, but it is understandable since it is a very positive portrayal of sex and gender (as in rated G).
Overall, great drama and I hope there is season 2 (also pls get tvN a subtitler/translator because their drama is a bomb but little is exposed to foreign viewers)
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Watch for s2 plot otherwise don't
As for concept of apocalypse cause, it is new and could be developed further. But that is all the good point to this drama. I recommend you to watch if there is season 2.Here is the thing:
For a drama with only 6 episodes and around 30 minute long, you know there is not much time for most characters to develop. Most drama with total of around 4 hours screen time only focuses on at most 2 or 3 characters to make them relatable. For this drama though, who exactly am I trying to understand? I have got the monks, the police, the teenager, the bullies ...
Is it impossible to get most characters to have personality conveyed through short screen time? No. Train to Busan is a movie that is around 2 hours long and we know even the side characters' personality. Too many unrelated point of view cut scene - I get that everything is happening at the same time but how about we focus on one character's at a time instead of jumping from being admist the chaos to being outside the chaos. Giving one POV at a time then rewind to give another POV at the same time explains more to viewers than small splits.
All of us are dead - plenty screen time - is a great example. We got things done in the school then we jump to things done outside. This drama does not even have enough screen time but it tries to fit way too many background that made every characters feel unimportant.
The casts actings are really well done but the story did not do them justice. I think my rating is already generous for this drama.
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Problem with trying to fit too many plot in a story
I have seen all these reviews saying it is great and all... But to be honest, if you are not all about that absurdly unrealistic rich boy with problems then eventual dreamy love overcomes all, this drama is not for you. It has amazing actors but side characters are not used to their full potential. This is like snow white and some dwarfs with a won't-admit-I-love-him prince. It would have been a nice small series if they didn't try to fit like a hundred stories into 10 episodes.Theo and Akk are the main characters and they are shown in 90% of the run time. I have no problem with this. In fact, they are amazing actors, cliche ily but I won't tell you cuz idk if you love me. I 100% like not waiting for love but rather testing to see how far Akk will go for him. Sure it is more realistic as the plan had a plot twist that more contestants joined but it is only 10 episodes... you could have made it so that they all went for the money but no the contestants had to have their backstory rushed for why they lied and the result of that too. Even after all that, you also have to make Theo's parents divorced and he moved back to Paris only to find Akk willing to fly there to have love in the city of love. Besides, have I mentioned that the contestants are also the school's top 4 popular boys?
Contestant 1: went for the money because he is insecure financially and needed the scholarship to support his sick mother. How did it end? exactly like that in one episode while also revealing the rivalry with contestant 2 and planning to expose contestant 2 as fake as he did to contestant 1. What is his end game? didn't do anything with the rivalry, his mom practically got brushed through, and no revenge.
Contestant 2: went for the money but more specifically, for raising club funds. Actually knows Theo's plan but we didn't get a decisive clue until revealed 2 ep later. This guy also has a sidekick secretly in love with him but that storyline practically got thrown away with I need you more and bromance. If anything this guy could have played a major role because he was inspired by Theo and most secret keepers in dramas don't just give it up like this guy. This guy was GMMTV big brain time using as a storyteller to what actually happened without building Akk enough courage to confess and then hears it from Theo.
Contestant 3: went for the money but is a gambler, a liar, and a bad club leader. He also had a sidekick with a friend of Akk and that sidekick planned the whole milk Theo's money plan. When it is revealed, Akk didn't punch him in the face as he did with contestant 3 and somehow are still friends?
Contestant 4: actually got paid to lie but was so insignificant that all he did was confuse Akk and told Theo his parents divorced.
Overall, by trying to fit so many potentials in 10 episodes, they could not have the series explained worse. The Shipper (another GMMTV series) actually has decent storylines but because not BL explicit endgame, its rating plummeted. I would rather have a decent story and then be heartbroken enough to post complaints rather than cheap story telling not showing.
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Geum Tae Young, a Genius Magician
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Hoping for season 2
The drama has 6 episodes and does not contain the full storyline—only the beginning of a series.I like the actors, the intriguing plot that they introduce, and the complete overview of the magical system that we can expect in the next season. The first 4 episodes are really good because of the pacing, especially ep 1-2 which focus on what the main storyline would be.
I hope there will be a next season/continuation of the story because it is interesting, and many questions were left unanswered from the first 6 eps.
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NOT a BL or GL but definitely an LGBT drama with interesting plot
This drama shows interesting relationship dynamics and realistic friendship, with one-sided love from each friend in the group. The drama shows how romantic feelings between straight and LGBT friends would realistically end as these friends are attracted to someone who could not love them romantically back (as they are not the gender that they are attracted to).I prefer good writing over being fed with meaningless/cliche romance. Taiwan and Japan have made some of the most out-of-the-box LGBT dramas out there, and this is one for me. I don't mind that it is unrequited love; it is one of the few dramas that actually shows a love complex where FL1 likes ML1, who likes ML2, who likes FL2, who cares for FL1 as friends, and not another love corner where FL1 and FL2 like ML1 while ML1 and ML2 like FL1.
It is definitely worth watching again for me because, even though it is not a happy ending, it still shows the love every character has for each other, whether it is romantically or as friends. And throughout the slow pacing, you can see that the characters struggle to reconcile their feelings between love and fear of losing a precious friendship. In fact, I am glad that they didn't make a character suddenly bi-curious or outright re-identify as bi just for a happy ending for one couple.
Overall, I would recommend watching the drama and judging it yourself rather than passing it by because of the rating.
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Very Underrated!!! Best friends with REALLY subtle texts
Y'all this drama is really good... until the last 2 episodes (they really cut it short giving characters unsual behaviors and rushed AF). But watching 22 episodes is gonna give school youth romance and best friends vibes from the poster's 6 characters. I do not recommend watching the last 2 episodes. With a different ending would be a 9.5/10. It got potential for a great remake (not a season 2) and while the characters' developments are questionable, it is really cute to see their interactions with each other.Side characters tho... not the best except the book couple and punk girl near the end.
Here are the obvious great things about the drama:
- main 6 characters have back stories that unravels reasonably with their journey with each other.
- relationships are not pushed together but smoothly recognizable.
- actors are really good because they make these quirky students fun and serious as the events meet the characters.
- one of the most "male best friends" a cdrama can get. I mean the subtexts are all over the place and even side characters know that Shao Nian and Lin Xiao are inseperable. Even Xie Ting Feng shares with her roomate character a common in reading "intensive guys relationship".
- best third wheel in Shao Nian btw in trying to make Xie Ting Feng and Wu Ming Hao works.
- Zhang Yang and Li Zan are the best backups/supportive friends.
- Some of the side characters are written so well that they could have been more.
- China trying to bring realistic problems, relationships, and behaviors into a drama? I have never seen that before. Could still work on those focuses but improvement.
- Toxic masculinity/femininity? not present. Characters have their problems and not "rough and tough" guys or "weak and gentle girls". No toxic jealousy/competition most of the times (at least between the main characters)
And now is the spoiler parts:
Here are the potentials they have missed (still great but is why it won't be 10/10 even if the last 2 eps are different):
- Where is my SpongeBob Shao Nian midway? writers left his inner child as fast as we are introduce to his unpresent parents. At the very least he is sometimes quirky with Lin Xiao by his side, but writers really put him as a mature guy many times. This is understandable as his family is a ship wreck - so rich that everyone lives in their own house with no connections between generations. No wonder the health issues his grandparents get and the closest person to him is his sister Xue Tong.
- Lin Xiao has a really difficult past. Dad got loans unpaid, mom divorced and pressure him into a good student, his grandmother loves him but suffers because of his dad, and got a 180 from his best friend in childhood. He never sees his dad - as is all of his family because dad was on the run left and right. No wonder he is sometimes selfish when Shao Nian is not going with him. He had to endure all those so he learned to tolerate others but never shared with anyone. This is why I hoped for a deeper connection with Shao Nian because the writers take off his anger as a subtle drunk sharing with Shao Nian taking care of him. I hope China can be open to portray these serious problems soon cuz it would make a great drama.
- Xie Ting Feng is a strong independent girl who got a crush for the first time and quietly approach Wu Ming Hao as real people does. She is friendly and outgoing so she makes friends with her roomates easily. She even helps setting up her friends with their crushes. But when it comes to her, she had to get Wu Ming Hao to pretend to be her boyfriend (it is complicated because she agreed to be Ding Tan - a side character's girlfriend because she thought her teacher was his girlfriend but then break up because she then knew the teacher was Wu Ming Hao's mom). She then overheard her mother's purpose to meet her boyfriend was because got a good background (thanks to Shao Nian best third wheel) and wanted to secure a job for her brother. Exposed China common values in boys rather than girls but never really got her character's growth afterward.
- Wu Ming Hao has no story. He is the unproblematic rich family boy and a normal student at school. Nonetheless, he is very mature while being the most gracefully handsome guy ever. He is really nice to everyone (even Shao Nian who hated him for stealing Lin Xiao from him) and he is considerate of everyone (even when he misunderstood that Shao Nian kissed him, but being the best third wheel, Ting Feng was really the one he kissed). It is okay to have a normal character to maintain the group relationships, but when side characters have some story, he could have got something with his "I want stable relationship" nature.
- Li Zai is the most wasted one since we are introduced to his unfortunate background only by words and his comedic nature was never explored (he got his twins came in but that did not add anything to his character).
- Zhang Yang comes with Li Zai because he got a normal family background but he dated a rich girl while being a nice boyfriend. He did not come to her for money, but it did not work out in the end. He isn't shy and sticks to his words (even if he would be embarassed). Barely sees him most of the times.
- Xue Tong is Shao Nian sister who has to mature like Shao Nian but takes care of his inner child. She is the most mature person in the drama but sadly we never got her pov or personality except being the mother of her brother's group.
- Book couple was the roomates of their dorm but really got no screen time (especially the guy) and only the girl got her family in an earthquake disaster. Needless to say that got brushed over really quick (in a few minutes).
- The girl who crushed on Shao Nian was cute and really not toxic or obsessed. She even went out of her way to help Ding Tan with Ting Feng so he doesn't end up liked her. Disappeared without reason.
- Ding Tan is a school bad guy who likes girls but he is quite decent actually. I mean he hits on girls without really reading the situations but that is his only bad quality. He listened to the boys, does not fight with anyone, and what is wrong with acting to his own benefit when he is not a person in the friend group. He got isolated because no one liked him btw. But side characters so no development at all.
- Jiang Nan is a tomboy girl who writes music under her artist name and got a great share of personality. She first appears as uncaring and straight forward with her crushes with commitment issue, but that is not all. She used to have a long crush and her backstory influences her songs. She is sad because she couldn't perform when she wanted to and hid away to express her regret. If she was introduced earlier, she might have got a better development.
- Other wasted potentials are Lin Xiao childhood friend (the girl), the school's student president, Zhang Yang rich ex-girlfriend, and maybe others who I forgot exist.
Overall, a great drama deserving of a remake and has potential to be 10/10 if they only fixed a few plot holes here and there. Cdrama has always had good plots, stories, characters but realistically, this is a hidden gem. Underrated as of this post.
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City Z in the Countryside
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Lovely light-hearted entertainment
When I read about the show concept, I was skeptical of whether it would be entertaining because they are going to the country side, which does not have a lot of options for contents. However, after watching the first episode and then the remaining, I find that it is amazingly fun to watch for a lot of reasons.First, the main casts of the show have really good chemistry together. Se Chan, Eun Ji, and Yi Kyung are hilarious and witty and good cooks, so at least they have edible meals :)) However, the other members in Geon Hee, Mi Yeon and Dong Won are funny too. It is refreshing to see their entertaining sides with their own charms.
Second, the games and activities for the members and the guests are well thought out. The show didn't take everyone out to the countryside simply for playing games. They have to work and help out in the villages, and cook too. The games are fun to watch and unique for every episode.
Third, the show allows the guest the opportunity to show the other sides of them that are different in their normal setting. I am glad Mi Yeon became regular member after insisting on it :)) Every guest has their own charm, and the members really help bring them out.
I don't mind the product placement because it fits with the theme of a countryside, and they have a skit to show it and not just random insertion.
Although ep 1 is quite awkward because they are still figuring this show, I'd say from ep 2 onward, the entertainment is very lighthearted, and watching the episodes again would be fine to me.
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A cute and decent short. Very Underrated as of this post
This series is a budget short so we should judge it on how good it communicated the meaning through <1hour total. If you are looking for a short and sweet mini series then this is for you. Keeping it on point and direct. Keep in mind that production was in the middle of COVID and probably was rated very biased. If they had more budget this has potential to be a long series, but for a small production crew, this was amazing. Yes there were problems but the series at least finished the main storyline and I am grateful for their effort.(All the characters have similar names to the actor so be mindful that they DO NOT represent the actors' lives. Apparently, many comments about this is about the actors not being like the series and that is why this is UNDERRATED)
*** SPOILER ALERT ***
Main Storyline: Xiaotian used to be a gang member but when they bully Xingkong he stood up to against them and has been away from the gang since. He became a better person with Xingkong and made new friends with Ahai and Yas. While hiding after being chased by the gang, he realised he love Xingkong. Going through some denial and confirmation, he finally begged that the gang leave Xingkong and him and got beaten for it. He finally have a happy live with Xingkong after recovery.
Side storyline: Yas is a child of a divorced couple and since then became a play boy. After meeting Xiaotian, he feel like his life finally have meaning and love Xiaotian in secret. He is very jealous of Xingkong but decided that he wants Xiaotian to be happy and helped Xiaotian to confess with Xingkong.
As for Ahai, he does not have a story and I think it was production problem so he was left out.
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